UK’s Heathrow airport shut for a day after massive fire wipes out power, disrupts flights

Due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport, Heathrow is experiencing a significant power outage.

To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, Heathrow will be closed until 23h59 on 21 March.

Passengers are advised not to travel to the airport… pic.twitter.com/7SWNJP8ojd

— Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) March 21, 2025

For instance, Qantas Airways redirected its flight from Perth to Paris, while a United Airlines flight originally bound for New York was rerouted to Shannon, Ireland. Some flights from the US were even forced to turn around mid-air, and a United Airlines flight from San Francisco ended up landing in Washington, DC instead of London.

The London Fire Brigade reported that around 70 firefighters were battling the blaze in west London, with “orange flames shooting into the sky” as they worked to bring the situation under control.

Although the cause of the fire remains unknown, the incident not only affected Heathrow but also led to a significant power outage in surrounding areas. The fire brigade confirmed that firefighters rescued 29 people from neighbouring properties and evacuated about 150 residents as a safety measure.

A Heathrow spokesperson told Reuters by email that there is currently no clear timeline for when power will be reliably restored. The spokesperson added that further disruptions are expected over the coming days. Eurocontrol, which manages air traffic control across Europe, confirmed on its website that no arrivals were being allowed at Heathrow due to the power outage, and that diversion plans were already in place.

Ian Petchenik, a spokesman for FlightRadar24, commented on the broader impact of the incident, saying, “This is going to disrupt airlines’ operations around the world.”