London’s Heathrow Airport temporarily shuts down due to power outage

Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in Europe, has been forced to close for 24 hours following a massive fire at a nearby electricity substation that caused a widespread power outage.

In a statement, airport authorities warned of “significant disruption” over the coming days, with hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands of passengers affected. The shutdown is expected to last until 11:59 PM GMT on Friday, and travelers have been advised not to go to the airport under any circumstances.

Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow will be impacted, while 120 flights were already in the air when the closure was announced.

The London Fire Brigade confirmed that the fire broke out at a substation in Hayes, a town near Heathrow in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

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Around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were deployed to tackle the blaze, while 150 people were evacuated from nearby buildings.

Images circulating on social media showed massive flames and thick smoke billowing from the substation, though these have yet to be independently verified.

Other footage from inside Heathrow’s terminals depicted shuttered shops and empty halls, with only emergency lighting in operation. London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said the fire has caused power outages across a wide area, affecting homes and businesses, and emergency teams are working to restore services as quickly as possible.

With Heathrow out of action for an entire day, major disruptions are expected across the UK’s aviation network, leaving thousands of travelers stranded.