London Power Station Fire Causes Power Outage, Heathrow Airport Closed for the Day

On Friday, March 21, London’s Heathrow Airport faced a complete power outage due to a fire at its substation, leading to the closure of the airport for the entire day. Hundreds of flights were affected, making this one of the most severe transportation disruptions in recent years.

Heathrow Airport issued a statement on social platform X, stating, “Due to a fire at the substation supplying power to the airport, Heathrow is currently experiencing a severe power interruption. To ensure the safety of passengers and staff, Heathrow Airport will remain closed until 11:59 pm on March 21.”

In a statement to the media, Heathrow Airport mentioned, “We anticipate severe flight delays and chaos in the coming days. Passengers should absolutely refrain from traveling to the airport until it reopens.”

The airport authorities stated that they are currently unable to determine when stable power supply can be restored.

The London Fire Brigade reported that a transformer at a substation in Hayes, just a few miles from the airport, caught fire on Thursday night, with the cause of the fire still unclear.

Dozens of firefighters rushed to the scene overnight and evacuated 150 people. The power supplier, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, reported over 16,000 households experiencing power outages.

Videos circulating on social media showed intense flames and billowing smoke in the early hours of Friday.

Assistant Chief Pat Goulbourne of the London Fire Brigade warned, “As morning approaches, the chaos is expected to escalate further, and we urge the public to avoid the area as much as possible.”

Heathrow Airport also reassured passengers, stating, “We understand this will be disappointing for passengers, and we want to assure you that we are making every effort to resolve the situation.”

According to the latest data, Heathrow Airport was the fourth busiest airport globally in 2024, with passenger traffic exceeding pre-pandemic levels, reaching 83.9 million.

The airport, with five terminals located 14 miles west of central London, operates at nearly 99% capacity on regular days and serves as a critical hub for major airlines worldwide.

Aviation analyst Geoffrey Thomas told CNN, “Heathrow handles around 250,000 passengers and 1,300 flights daily. We currently have hundreds of flights from the US, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East still in the air.”

As of Friday morning local time, the airport website displayed several inbound flights that were redirected or canceled, while others were still listed as “estimated” arrivals. These flights might need to divert to other airports or return to their departure points.

Thomas added that short-haul domestic flights could possibly return, but long-haul international flights have limited options. While airports like Gatwick and Stansted near London are alternatives, they might be “saturated,” forcing flights to land in more distant cities.

Thomas noted that smaller, budget-focused airports may struggle to handle the influx of diverted passengers.