Heathrow in Chaos: Major Fire at Substation Causes Global Flight Disruptions

A major fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport caused a total power outage, disrupting global flight schedules. The blaze, which involved 70 firefighters, led to the closure of Europe's busiest airport, forcing flight diversions and significant logistical challenges for airlines worldwide.


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 21-03-2025 14:40 IST | Created: 21-03-2025 14:40 IST
Heathrow in Chaos: Major Fire at Substation Causes Global Flight Disruptions
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Britain's Heathrow Airport faced a total shutdown on Friday due to a significant fire at an adjacent electrical substation, which resulted in a complete power outage. The incident disrupted flight schedules globally, as firefighters worked overnight to bring the blaze under control.

Throughout the night, massive flames and thick black smoke were visible, highlighting the scale of the emergency. By morning, roads around Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, were mostly deserted, with only a few passengers seen walking away with their luggage. Authorities swiftly initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, which remains unknown.

The fire resulted in chaos for airline operations worldwide, with British Airways and other carriers scrambling to reconfigure their flight networks. As engineers worked to deploy a third back-up mechanism, industry experts warned of the extended effects on global flight schedules, causing widespread logistical challenges and passenger inconvenience.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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