London’s Heathrow Airport — one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs — was forced to shut down all operations Friday after a major fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a widespread
power outage.
The closure, which began in the early morning hours, has led to the cancellation or diversion of over 1,300 flights, affecting more than 100,000 passengers worldwide, according to CNN. Travelers have been urged to avoid the airport entirely as emergency crews work to restore power and contain the fire.
“Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage,” the airport said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23:59 on 21 March.”
Videos shared on social media showed flames rising from the substation in Hayes, west London. The London Fire Brigade confirmed that approximately 70 firefighters are battling the blaze, describing it as a “prolonged incident” that is expected to continue through the night. Over 150 people have been evacuated from the surrounding area, which has also experienced power outages affecting homes and businesses.
The ripple effects of the closure have already been felt globally. Flights en route to Heathrow from cities like Perth, Paris, and New York have been rerouted to alternate destinations, including Shannon Airport in Ireland. Some transatlantic flights, such as a United Airlines flight from San Francisco, were forced to turn around mid-air.
Major carriers including British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have diverted their operations to London’s Gatwick Airport in response to the emergency.
Heathrow, which handled nearly 84 million passengers in 2024 and connects travelers to over 200 destinations worldwide, is a critical node in global air travel.
“Heathrow is one of the major hubs of the world,” said FlightRadar24 spokesperson Ian Petchenik. “This is going to disrupt airlines’ operations around the world.”
Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire. Photo by Adambro, Wikimedia commons.