Massive Fire Shuts Down Heathrow, Sparks Global Flight Chaos

A massive fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport has triggered a major power outage, forcing Europe’s busiest airport to shut down and causing global flight disruption. The blaze, which broke out just after 11 p.m. on Thursday, also disabled the airport’s backup power system, leading to the cancellation or diversion of hundreds of flights.

About 70 firefighters tackled the inferno, which sent giant flames and thick smoke into the night sky over west London. Authorities confirmed the fire is under control, but the airport remains closed until at least midnight Friday. Heathrow was expected to handle 1,351 flights and up to 291,000 passengers that day.

Passengers have been advised not to travel to the airport and to contact airlines for updates. The outage has caused planes to divert to airports across the UK and Europe, with some long-haul flights forced to turn back mid-air. Heathrow's biggest airline, British Airways, had over 340 scheduled flights impacted.

FlightRadar24 reported at least 120 diversions early Friday. Qantas, United Airlines, and other major carriers rerouted flights to alternate destinations such as Paris, Washington, and Shannon. Experts warn that the ripple effect will disrupt global airline networks for days, as crews and aircraft are left out of position.

Energy Minister Ed Miliband said the cause of the “catastrophic” fire is under investigation and does not appear to involve foul play. A third backup system is being deployed, but power restoration remains uncertain.

Airlines including IAG saw shares dip as chaos spread. With 150 people evacuated and 29 rescued near the fire zone, authorities are working to stabilize the situation. Heathrow has faced similar issues in recent years, raising concerns over infrastructure resilience.