London’s Heathrow Airport was forced to shut down on Friday due to a power outage caused by a fire at an electrical substation. The airport announced that it would remain closed until midnight on March 21, while emergency crews worked to contain the fire and restore power to critical infrastructure. The incident disrupted operations, leading to the cancellation and delay of several flights, leaving passengers stranded at the airport.
Heathrow authorities confirmed that the fire, which broke out at a key electrical substation, had caused a significant power loss across the terminal, affecting essential systems such as baggage handling and air traffic control. As a result, all flights were grounded until power was restored. The closure impacted both international and domestic flights, with passengers advised to check with airlines for updates on their travel schedules.
The airport’s management assured the public that safety measures were immediately implemented, and there were no reports of injuries. The fire service responded quickly to the incident, and engineers were deployed to restore power as soon as possible. However, the disruption caused major inconvenience, and authorities urged travelers to be patient as the situation was resolved.
Heathrow is one of the busiest airports in the world, and such incidents have the potential to create ripple effects across global travel. While the airport’s closure is expected to be temporary, the impact of the power outage on flight schedules is expected to be felt for some time, with additional delays likely as operations ramp back up. Passengers are being encouraged to stay in close contact with airlines for information on rescheduled flights.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but authorities are focused on restoring normalcy and ensuring that future disruptions of this nature can be avoided.
