One of the largest airports in the world has come to a standstill.
London’s Heathrow Airport has been shut down for the entire day after a major electrical fire led to widespread power outages, throwing the travel industry into turmoil.
With hundreds of thousands of passengers impacted, experts caution that the disruption could drag on for days, affecting flights worldwide.
Explosion at an Electrical Substation
In the early hours of Friday, Heathrow’s official X account shared an urgent update:
“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. Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport and should contact their airline for further information. We apologise for the inconvenience.”
A spokesperson for Heathrow also told British media that flight delays and cancellations could continue for several days.
Although there is no fire at the airport itself, operations have been severely impacted. According to Sky News, the fire broke out in a transformer building in Hayes, about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) from Heathrow. The explosion of the airport’s main electrical substation triggered the massive outage, forcing the airport to cease operations.
Around 200,000 passengers were expected to pass through Heathrow today, but the airport’s shutdown has caused significant disruptions that are likely to stretch into the weekend and beyond.
The fire broke out around 11:30 PM on Thursday, and while firefighters battled through the night to contain it, part of the transformer building remains ablaze. Police have declared it a major incident, and investigations into the cause are underway.
By morning, the flames had been put out, but specialist crews continued working with breathing equipment to fully secure the area.
“This was a very visible and significant incident, and our firefighters worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible,” said assistant commissioner Pat Goulbourne.
The airport’s closure due to a single substation failure has raised serious concerns. Heathrow officials have assured that backup power systems exist, but activating them takes time and is not an instant solution.
According to the Daily Mail, at least 1,357 flights have been canceled, delayed, or rerouted. Some planes already en route to London had to land at alternative airports, but with places like Gatwick now at full capacity, options are becoming increasingly limited.
As the situation unfolds, other European airports are preparing to accommodate flights that are too far along to turn back and must now be redirected.
Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest international airports, had a record-breaking January, welcoming over 6.3 million passengers—more than a 5% increase from the same period last year. This marked the 11th consecutive month the airport averaged over 200,000 passengers per day, with transatlantic travel being a major factor in the surge.
Adding to the travel disruptions, National Rail has confirmed that rail services to and from Heathrow will be canceled on Friday.