Fri Mar 21 07:17:52 UTC 2025: ## Heathrow Airport Shuts Down After Substation Fire Causes Massive Power Outage
**London, UK** – A major fire at an electrical substation in west London triggered a widespread power outage, forcing the closure of Heathrow Airport on March 21st, 2025. An estimated 1,351 flights were cancelled or diverted, impacting thousands of passengers worldwide.
The fire, located in Hayes, Hillingdon borough, left approximately 16,000 homes without electricity. The London Fire Brigade responded with significant resources, deploying 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters to control the blaze. The fire, visible in online videos, caused a large plume of smoke. As of 11:34 am India time, the fire was still active.
Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest, remained closed until 11:59 pm on March 21st. Around 120 flights were in the air at the time of the outage, either approaching or departing. Many airlines, including Air India, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and United Airlines, announced widespread cancellations and diversions. Air India reported that several of its flights, including services from Mumbai and Delhi, were affected, with some diverted to Frankfurt and others cancelled. British Airways urged passengers not to travel to Heathrow until further notice. Gatwick Airport, another London airport, remained operational and accepted diverted flights.
The power outage caused significant disruption, with authorities warning of ongoing impact in the coming days. The cause of the fire and the timeline for power restoration remain unknown.
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