London’s Heathrow Airport will remain closed until midnight on March 21 after a fire at an electrical substation caused a significant power outage.
Airport authorities confirmed the closure in a post on X, stating, “Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage. To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.”
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Passengers Advised to Avoid the Airport
Officials urged travelers not to visit the airport and to contact their airlines for updates regarding their flights. They reassured passengers that efforts were underway to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
“We will provide an update when more information on the resumption of operations is available. We know this will be disappointing for passengers and we want to reassure that we are working as hard as possible to resolve the situation,” Heathrow authorities stated.
Fire Crews Battle Blaze, Power Restoration Timeline Unclear
The London Fire Brigade reported that the fire broke out at the North Hyde electrical substation in Hayes, west London. A transformer inside the substation caught fire, cutting off power to the airport and thousands of nearby homes.
Around 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters were deployed to tackle the blaze, while approximately 150 people were evacuated from nearby properties. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Air Traffic Control Confirms Flight Disruptions
Eurocontrol, Europe’s air traffic management body, confirmed on its website that Heathrow Airport was not allowing any incoming flights, and diversion plans had been implemented for affected aircraft.
Heathrow, which was the world’s second-busiest international airport in 2024 after Dubai, now faces significant disruptions due to the outage, as reported by Reuters citing travel data firm OAG.
Authorities continue to work on restoring power, but there is no confirmed timeline for when normal airport operations will resume.
