On March 20, 2025, at around 11:23 PM GMT, a major fire broke out at the North Hyde electrical substation in Hayes, Hillingdon,
London. The incident caused a power outage which resulted in London Heathrow Airport being completely closed until Friday, March 21, 2025.
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Key Details:
- Fire incident: The fire in the substation caused a great deal of smoke and pollution. Ten fire engines and a team of engineers responded immediately to contain the fire. The fire continued to burn the next day, causing the nearly 25,000 liters of cooling oil in the transformer to burn out.
- Airport shutdown: A power outage forced Heathrow Airport, one of the world’s busiest aviation hubs, to close to all passengers for an entire day. The unprecedented shutdown resulted in 1,351 flights being cancelled or diverted, affecting more than 290,000 passengers worldwide
- Evacuations and power outages: Approximately 150 individuals were evacuated from around the fire, and approximately 16,300 homes lost power due to the incident
- Investigation: An assessment has found no signs of wrongdoing but the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation due to the serious nature of the infrastructure involved.
The closure of Heathrow Airport has caused widespread disruption to air travel, with airlines advising passengers to check the status of their flights and relocate passengers where possible.
DIGI MARCH STORE PRINT ON DEMAND
1: Flames in the heart of Heathrow
On the night of March 20, 2025, a huge fire broke out at the North Hyde electrical substation near Heathrow Airport. The fire, which ignited thousands of liters of cooling oil, caused thick black smoke to rise in London, due to which traffic was stopped.
2: The Blackout – City in Chaos
As the fire raged, Heathrow Airport lost power, forcing the cancellation of over 1,300 flights. Passengers were stranded, airlines scrambled for solutions, and global travel disruptions rippled across the aviation industry
3: Emergency Response – Fighting
Firefighters battled the flames through the night, while police evacuated nearby residents. The response teams worked tirelessly to control the damage and assess the situation
4: The Investigation – Terror Threat
With such a critical piece of infrastructure affected, authorities launched an urgent inquiry. While no foul play was initially suspected, counter-terrorism units took charge of the investigation to rule out any security risks
5: Impact and Aftermath – The Cost
Beyond the airport closure, thousands of homes in the area faced power outages, businesses suffered, and travel plans were thrown into turmoil. The long-term impact on Heathrow’s operations and the lessons learned from the crisis remain key points of discussion.
