London’s Heathrow Airport has been shut until 11:59 pm today following a massive power outage caused by a fire at an electrical substation in the city’s western region. The incident has left over 16,000 homes without electricity and prompted the evacuation of more than 150 people, according to British media reports.

The airport, in a post on X early Friday (India time), advised passengers not to travel and to contact their respective airlines for updates. “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 11:59 pm on March 21,” the statement read.

An airport spokesperson told the BBC that while fire crews are on the scene, it is still unclear when power will be reliably restored. Authorities are working urgently to resolve the situation.

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Several flights have already been diverted, as confirmed by the flight-tracking platform FlightRadar24. Airport officials also informed news agency AFP that significant disruptions are expected in the coming days.

Visuals shared online by Russian news agency Sputnik showed the substation blaze lighting up the night sky with thick plumes of smoke billowing into the air.

The fire broke out at the North Hyde substation, which is part of the Scottish and Southern Electricity Network (SSEN), responsible for supplying electricity to nearly four million homes across central and southern England and parts of Scotland. SSEN confirmed the site has been evacuated and stressed that the safety of residents, staff, and emergency crews remains the top priority.

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Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest airports, was ranked fourth globally by travel data firm OAG in 2024, with over 51 million seats booked last year — a 4% increase from the previous year. It was also Europe’s busiest airport in 2024.

News of the sudden shutdown sparked frustration among passengers, with many criticising the lack of sufficient backup systems. While some labelled the situation an embarrassment for such a major hub, others took a lighter approach — one user even drawing a humorous comparison to the film Die Hard 2, which features a fictional terrorist attack at an airport.

As of now, around 120 aircraft in the air are either being rerouted to alternate destinations or returning to their original departure points.

With input from agencies