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Britain’s Heathrow Airport, the busiest in Europe, ground to a halt early Friday after a massive fire erupted at an electrical substation in the nearby town of Hayes, cutting power to the vast complex west of London, according to officials. The blaze, which struck a key facility in the Hillingdon borough, has thrown travel plans into chaos, with the airport operator warning of major disruptions expected to linger for days.
Flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24 reported that numerous flights were already being rerouted as the crisis unfolded. In an official statement on its website, Heathrow’s management confirmed the severity of the situation, noting a significant power outage that has forced the airport to remain shuttered until just shy of midnight Friday (2359 GMT). They urged travelers to steer clear, advising, “Passengers should not attempt to travel to the airport under any circumstances until operations resume.”
The London Fire Brigade described the incident as a “significant” fire at the Hayes substation, which has not only crippled the airport but also plunged thousands of local homes and businesses into darkness. Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne emphasized the broader impact, stating that the brigade is collaborating with partners to contain the fallout and reduce inconvenience across the affected areas.
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“This is a highly visible and significant incident, and our firefighters are working tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible.
As a result of the shutdown at Heathrow, a Qantas flight originating from Perth was rerouted to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, while a United Airlines flight departing New York was redirected to Shannon Airport in Ireland, according to flight-tracking updates. Heathrow, a critical global hub, manages over 80 million passengers annually, underscoring the scale of disruption caused by the power outage and fire at the Hayes substation.
