London&rsquo;s Heathrow Airport remains shut on Friday after a massive fire at a nearby electrical substation caused a widespread power outage, severely disrupting flight operations and affecting the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers.
Fire Triggers Airport Shutdown
The London Fire Brigade deployed around 70 firefighters to battle the blaze, which broke out in the west of London late Thursday night. The fire resulted in a complete blackout at Heathrow, one of the world&rsquo;s busiest airports, forcing authorities to close operations until at least 11:59 PM GMT on March 21.
&ldquo;The airport is experiencing a significant power outage due to a fire at an electrical substation that supplies Heathrow,&rdquo; the airport operator said in a statement.
Flames were seen shooting into the night sky as emergency responders worked to contain the fire. As of now, the exact cause of the fire remains unknown.
Severe Impact on Flights
The closure has thrown global flight schedules into chaos. Heathrow, which handles over 1,400 flights and nearly 200,000 passengers daily, has seen mass diversions and cancellations.
Flight tracking service FlightRadar24 reported that at least 120 flights headed for Heathrow were forced to divert. A Qantas Airways flight from Perth was rerouted to Paris, while a United Airlines flight from New York had to land in Shannon, Ireland. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic also redirected several flights to Gatwick Airport.
Some transatlantic flights, including a United Airlines flight from San Francisco, turned back mid-air, returning to their points of departure.
Passenger Disruptions and Response
With Heathrow shut down, thousands of travellers have been stranded, and airlines are scrambling to accommodate affected passengers.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has advised travellers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport. Heathrow has urged passengers to avoid traveling to the airport until operations resume, stating, &ldquo;To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 11:59 PM on March 21.&rdquo;
Similar Fire Incident at London Luton Airport
This incident comes just months after a massive blaze at London Luton Airport&rsquo;s multi-story car park, which led to the grounding of flights and destruction of nearly 1,500 vehicles. That fire, which was declared a &ldquo;major incident,&rdquo; was believed to have started from a diesel-powered vehicle on the third floor of the parking structure.
Ongoing Investigation
Authorities are conducting an investigation into the Heathrow substation fire, with engineers working to restore power as quickly as possible. London Fire Brigade officials have not ruled out possible equipment failure as the cause of the blaze.
With Heathrow being a critical global aviation hub, its prolonged closure is expected to have ripple effects on international travel, airline operations, and cargo shipments worldwide. Passengers are advised to stay updated on further developments as efforts to restore normal operations continue.

fire at the substation in the vicinity of Heathrow airport disrupts flights services

Massive fire near Heathrow halts flights, diverts planes, and leaves thousands stranded

Heathrow Flights Disrupted After Fire Near Airport

Massive fire near Heathrow halts flights, diverts planes, and leaves thousands stranded

March 21, 2025 | 10:41 IST