Chaos at Heathrow due to substation fire
Heathrow airport will remain closed on 21 March after a substation fire triggered a power outage.
Image credit: bodorka / Shutterstock.com
UK, London: London’s Heathrow Airport will remain closed after a fire at a substation caused a major power outage, disrupting over 1,300 flights and leaving thousands of homes without electricity.
The shutdown, just before the airport’s opening, forced at least 120 airborne flights to divert, with many more affected throughout the day.
British Airways and Virgin Atlantic redirected flights to Gatwick, while others, including Qantas and United Airlines, diverted to Paris and Shannon, Ireland. Some U.S.-bound flights turned back mid-air.
Aviation expert Neil Hansford called the closure “unheard of” since 9/11, highlighting the logistical nightmare airlines face in rerouting passengers, refuelling aircraft, and repositioning staff. Heathrow’s scale means alternative airports like Gatwick and Stansted lack the capacity to absorb all flights.
Heathrow advised passengers not to travel to the airport, stating it would remain closed until 23:59 on 21 March. Emergency crews responded to the fire late on 20 March in west London, where over 16,000 homes lost power. Firefighters evacuated around 150 people, tackling a transformer fire with 10 fire engines and 70 firefighters.
Authorities urged residents to take safety precautions, warning of ongoing disruption. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks confirmed a widespread outage, affecting over 16,300 homes. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, and emergency crews expect to remain on-site throughout the day.
Source: The Guardian
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