United Kingdom - Ekhbary News Agency
Heathrow Airport Partially Resumes Operations After Major Power Outage Caused by Fire
London Heathrow Airport, one of the world's busiest travel hubs, experienced severe disruptions and a near-total shutdown on Friday following a major fire at a nearby electrical substation. The airport has since announced a gradual resumption of some flights, but the widespread impact of the power outage continues to ripple through global travel.
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Global Travel Impact
The fallout from the Heathrow closure is expected to extend for several days, with over 1,300 flights anticipated to be affected. Airline analysis firms estimate that more than 145,000 passengers could be impacted. Aviation experts have warned that the airline industry could face losses amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars due to this sudden disruption. The incident underscores Heathrow's critical role as a global transit point and the vulnerability of the power infrastructure it relies upon.
Investigation into Fire's Cause
Counter-terrorism police are investigating the cause of the fire, given its significant impact on critical national infrastructure. However, the UK's Energy Minister has stated that there are currently no indications of foul play. This initial assessment eases security concerns but highlights the need for a thorough understanding of the fire's origins to prevent recurrence.
The London Fire Brigade reported that approximately 5% of the fire near Heathrow Airport remained active 16 hours after the first call. "According to the latest update, approximately 5% remains alight in isolated hotspots, and we will maintain a presence on site until the incident is resolved," stated Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Jonathan Smith, in a statement on Friday evening.
The fire service received 212 calls regarding the blaze at the electrical substation. At the peak of the incident, 10 fire engines, two bulk foam units, and one high-volume pump were on the scene, representing approximately 70 firefighters. The statement detailed that firefighters "safely evacuated 29 people from neighbouring properties, and as a precaution, a 200-metre cordon was established. Working with the Metropolitan Police Service, around 150 people were evacuated to a rest centre. The majority of these individuals have been able to return to their homes, and very few people remain at the rest centre."
Focus on Power Infrastructure Resilience
Both the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade have indicated that the cause of the fire is not being treated as suspicious. The investigation is now focusing on the electrical distribution equipment, and the fire brigade noted that their work on the case would continue in the coming weeks.
According to a power network expert, providing a separate backup power supply for the entire London Heathrow Airport could cost close to US$65 million (approximately £50 million). Simon Gallagher, Managing Director of UK Network Services, told CNN on Friday, "Some people say Heathrow should have had backup generation for the whole airport, which has merit." He explained that the substation powering the airport supplies 20 megawatts of energy, comparable to small data centers. "Data centres do have full backup generation in case this happens. So, if you compare Heathrow to a data centre, a data centre would not have gone down," Gallagher added.
The expert further noted that the airport's "critical safety systems" remained operational during Friday's disruption, even as "the rest of the airport was dead."
Airport's Defense and Response
Earlier, Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye had stated that the travel hub possesses three electrical substations, each equipped with a "backup transformer." However, he acknowledged that diverting power to an alternative substation in the event of a failure takes time.
The London Fire Brigade reiterated that the fire in the electrical substation that caused the shutdown at Heathrow Airport is believed to be "non-suspicious." "Fire Investigation Officers from the London Fire Brigade, supported by a scientific advisor, have been working closely with the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to investigate the cause of this fire. The MPS confirmed that the fire is believed to be non-suspicious," the LFB said in a statement Friday night. The investigation will now concentrate on the electrical distribution equipment.
The disruption led to significant operational challenges, including the repositioning of a British Airways A380 aircraft to London Gatwick Airport.
Government Eases Restrictions
In response to the congestion stemming from the shutdown, the UK government has temporarily lifted restrictions on night flights "to alleviate congestion," the country's Department for Transport reported on Friday. Heathrow Airport's website notes that night flight restrictions have been in place since the 1960s, though there is no formal ban.
The government typically caps night take-offs and landings at 5,800 per year. The department also announced on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday that Heathrow passengers would be allowed greater flexibility with their train tickets.
CEO's Statement
In a statement, Heathrow CEO Thomas Woldbye defended the airport's actions during the crisis, asserting that the airport's backup systems "worked as they should." He acknowledged that the process of rerouting power supplies takes time. Woldbye explained that while Heathrow has three substations and two were unaffected, the backup transformer for the affected supply was also lost. He conceded that the airport's contingency plans cannot offer 100% protection against all events, describing this as a "major incident" and "as big as it gets" short of injuries. He emphasized that the decision to close the airport was not taken lightly and was due to severe safety concerns.
CNN crews on the ground witnessed an Airbus A380 aircraft landing at Heathrow on Friday afternoon after a short repositioning flight from Gatwick Airport, marking the beginning of a limited resumption of services.
