A fire that erupted at an electricity substation near Heathrow Airport on 21 March caused major disruptions to air travel, resulting in hundreds of flight cancellations and evacuations in the surrounding area.
As of Friday evening, London Fire Brigade (LFB) reported that approximately 5% of the fire remains alight in isolated hotspots. Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Smith stated that fire crews would remain at the scene until the incident is fully resolved.
The blaze, which was not deemed suspicious by investigators, triggered a power outage that significantly affected Heathrow’s operations. According to Smith, the fire brigade received 212 emergency calls about the incident and deployed 10 fire engines, two bulk foam units, and one high-volume pump — with approximately 70 personnel on-site at the peak.
“Firefighters safely evacuated 29 people from neighbouring properties,” Smith said. “A 200-metre cordon was established, and in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), around 150 individuals were moved to a rest centre.” Most evacuees have since returned to their homes.
The fire originated at a substation in Hayes, west London, which supplies electricity to Heathrow Airport. Both LFB and MPS have confirmed that there is no evidence of foul play. Investigators are now focusing on the electrical distribution equipment as the likely source of the blaze.
Flights to and from London’s Heathrow Airport were canceled Friday after a fire at a nearby substation knocked out power to Europe’s busiest airport, disrupting travel plans around the world.
Footage posted to social media showed huge flames coming from the facility. pic.twitter.com/9kbcllnISC
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 21, 2025
The incident led to widespread travel disruption, affecting both inbound and outbound flights. Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye stated that, despite the power outage, the airport’s safety-critical systems remained operational throughout the disruption.
Woldbye explained that the airport has three electricity substations, each with a backup transformer. However, the substation directly affected by the fire also saw its backup transformer fail. “To divert to another substation, we need to restructure our power supply, and that takes time,” Woldbye said.
The UK Department for Transport temporarily lifted restrictions on night flights to ease the resulting congestion. Normally capped at 5,800 take-offs and landings annually, night flight limitations have been in place at Heathrow since the 1960s.
Energy networks expert Simon Gallagher, managing director at UK Network Services, said that a fully separate backup system for the airport could cost around US$65 million (approximately £50 million). Gallagher noted that the airport’s 20-megawatt power supply is comparable to that of small data centres, which typically include robust backup power generation.
Travellers affected by the disruption have voiced frustration. Bethany Dixon, a US citizen travelling with her family, described chaos at Zurich Airport after learning their British Airways flight through Heathrow was cancelled. The family faced difficulties contacting the airline and ended up stranded for two extra days, incurring unexpected hotel expenses.
Another traveller, Denise Latini, recounted her efforts to reroute herself and her daughter to the United States after their flight from Heathrow was cancelled. Latini planned an elaborate journey from Gatwick to Strasbourg, then to Stuttgart and Munich, in an effort to return home to South Carolina via Atlanta.
Despite the extensive disruption, Woldbye assured the public that Heathrow is expected to resume full operations by the morning of Saturday, 23 March. “Passengers scheduled to travel tomorrow should proceed as planned,” he said.
Fire safety officers will continue investigations and site assessments in the coming weeks, according to the LFB.
Our teams have worked tirelessly since the incident to ensure a speedy recovery. We’re now safely able to restart flights, prioritising repatriation and relocation of aircraft. Please do not travel to the airport unless your airline has advised you to do so. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/fhUGiXCh6B
— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 21, 2025
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