Heathrow Airport in London, one of the busiest airports in the world, has been closed till midnight following a massive power outage caused by a fire at an electrical substation in the western part of the city. The power failure has left over 16,000 homes without electricity, causing significant disruption for residents and travelers alike. The fire broke out at the North Hyde substation located in Hayes in London’s Hillingdon borough. Emergency services, including 10 fire engines and around 70 firefighters from the London Fire Brigade, were deployed to the scene. A 200-meter safety cordon was established, and local residents were advised to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows closed due to heavy smoke.
 

According to British media reports, over 150 people have been evacuated from the area as a precautionary measure. The Scottish and Southern Electricity Network (SSEN), which supplies power to millions of homes across southern England and parts of Scotland, confirmed the incident. They stated that their priority was ensuring the safety of local residents, emergency teams, and their own personnel. The fire has caused a significant impact on Heathrow Airport’s operations. In an official statement on X (formerly Twitter), Heathrow Airport advised passengers not to travel to the airport and to contact their respective airlines for updates.
 

"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 11:59 pm on March 21," the airport's statement read. An airport spokesperson informed the BBC that fire crews were actively working at the site, but the exact timeline for power restoration remained unclear. The spokesperson added that the airport staff were working diligently to resolve the situation. The flight-tracking website FlightRadar24 reported several flight diversions as a result of the outage. Additionally, airport authorities informed news agency AFP that they expect significant disruptions to continue over the coming days. Visual footage of the blaze, shared online by Sputnik, Russia’s state-owned news agency, showed intense flames and a massive plume of smoke rising from the substation.

In response to the situation, SSEN shared a public statement:

"We are aware of a widespread power cut affecting many of our customers around the Hayes, Hounslow, and surrounding areas. The site (of the fire) has been evacuated and the safety of local residents, our colleagues, and the emergency teams is our highest priority." The closure of Heathrow Airport, a major global travel hub, has caused widespread concern among travelers. Heathrow ranked as the fourth busiest airport globally in 2024, with over 51 million booked seats reported by OAG, a global travel data provider. The airport also claimed the title of the busiest airport in Europe last year.
 

The day-long disruption has sparked criticism on social media, with some travelers expressing frustration over the lack of backup power solutions at such a critical infrastructure. Some labeled the outage as "an embarrassment," while others humorously compared the situation to the iconic ‘Die Hard 2’ movie, where Bruce Willis' character faces a similar airport emergency. As authorities work to restore normalcy, passengers are advised to stay updated through Heathrow’s official communication channels and contact airlines for flight information. Further updates on power restoration and airport services are expected soon.