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Date Published: 21/03/2025

VIDEO: Heathrow fire grounds flights, disrupting dozens of Spain-bound holidays

More than 50 flights between Spain and the UK have been affected as London’s busiest airport shuts down

A major fire at an electrical substation in west London has triggered a complete shutdown of Heathrow Airport, throwing travel plans into chaos and affecting thousands of passengers, including many travelling to and from Spain.

The fire, which broke out early Friday morning, March 21 in the British town of Hayes, caused a “significant power outage,” forcing Europe’s largest airport to suspend all operations until at least 11.59pm GMT on March 21.

The impact on air travel has been severe, with more than 1,000 flights cancelled, including 54 that were scheduled to connect Spain and the UK.

According to Spain’s airport operator Aena, the affected flights include 29 to or from Madrid, 19 to Barcelona, two to Malaga, two to Tenerife South and two to Valencia. Aena has advised all passengers due to fly between Spain and Heathrow to check directly with their airline for the latest updates.

Heathrow Airport forced to close for 24 hours due to a fire at an electrical substation supplying the airport. pic.twitter.com/lEq8zrMm3h
— The Secret Firefighter UK (@TheSecretFF999) March 21, 2025

Meanwhile, firefighters are still battling the blaze. The London Fire Brigade confirmed that a transformer inside the Hayes substation caught fire and around 70 firefighters and a dozen crews sped to the scene.

Deputy Commissioner Pat Goulbourne described the fire as a “highly visible and significant incident,” adding that teams are working “tirelessly in challenging conditions” to bring it under control.

The disruption extends beyond Heathrow, with power outages affecting local homes and businesses. Authorities have evacuated approximately 150 people as a precautionary measure, while residents in the area have been advised to keep windows and doors closed due to heavy smoke.

The exact cause of the fire remains unknown, but with Heathrow handling more than 200,000 passengers a day, the ripple effect is expected to last well beyond today’s shutdown. Aena hasn’t yet said whether the cancelled flights will be rescheduled or rerouted, but a spokesperson said that it will update this information as the situation develops.

Image: @davesumnersmith on X

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