Fire in Hayes leads to major power outage and airport disruption

A fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, West London has caused a large-scale power outage and led to the closure of Heathrow Airport for the entire day.

The London Fire Brigade responded to the incident late on Thursday night.

Around 70 firefighters and 10 fire engines were deployed to the site on Nestles Avenue, where a transformer had caught fire.

The blaze disrupted the electricity supply to thousands of homes and affected key infrastructure, including Heathrow Airport, which remains closed.

Airport operations suspended due to loss of power

Heathrow Airport, one of the busiest in the world, suspended operations until 23:59 on Friday 21 March 2025.

According to airport officials, more than 1,300 flights scheduled to arrive or depart have been affected.

Passengers were advised not to travel to the airport under any circumstances.

Flight tracking service Flightradar24 reported that 1,351 flights could be cancelled.

Some inbound international flights were diverted to other airports, including Gatwick, Paris and Shannon.

Response from emergency services and government

The London Fire Brigade confirmed that the fire was under control by 06:28 on Friday morning.

Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne said: “This was a very visible and significant incident, and our firefighters worked tirelessly in challenging conditions to bring the fire under control as swiftly as possible.

“Thanks to their efforts and coordinated multi-agency response, we successfully contained the fire and prevented further spread.”

He added: “Due to the significant smoke, we strongly advise local residents to keep their windows and doors closed, as some smoke will remain for a number of hours today.

“Scientific advisors will also be on-site this morning to conduct further assessments and monitor the air quality.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said in media interviews that National Grid was responding to what he described as an “unprecedented event”.

He added: “It appears to have knocked out a back-up generator as well as a substation itself.”

Local impact and power restoration efforts

Power cuts affected more than 16,000 homes, according to Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks.

By 06:00 GMT, National Grid reported that electricity had been restored to 62,000 customers, with 4,900 still without power.

Residents in the area reported watching the flames overnight.

Around 150 people were evacuated, and firefighters led 29 people to safety from neighbouring buildings.

A 200-metre cordon was set up as a precaution. The fire brigade’s Control Officers handled over 200 emergency calls.

Investigation into cause of fire underway

Fire investigators are working with the Metropolitan Police Service to determine the cause of the fire.

Emergency services were initially called to the scene at 23:23 on Thursday.

Crews from Hayes, Heathrow, Hillingdon, Southall and surrounding stations were mobilised.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at this stage.

The fire brigade has confirmed that teams will maintain a presence at the site to support the National Grid’s assessment work.

Electrical substation fire in London causes widespread outages and Heathrow closure: Summary

A fire broke out at an electrical substation on Nestles Avenue in Hayes, West London at 23:23 on Thursday 20 March 2025.

The fire involved a transformer and led to a major power outage across the region.

London Fire Brigade deployed 10 engines and approximately 70 firefighters.

The fire was declared under control by 06:28 on Friday.

Heathrow Airport closed all operations for the day as a result of the outage, with over 1,300 flights affected.

Power supply was disrupted to more than 16,000 properties.

At least 150 people were evacuated, including 29 who were led to safety by firefighters.

A 200-metre cordon was established.

The government confirmed that a back-up generator was also impacted.

Fire investigators are working with the Metropolitan Police to identify the cause.

National Grid has restored power to most affected properties but some remain without supply.

Emergency crews and scientific advisors remain at the scene.