Fire and Fury: Heathrow Airport Shuts Down Amidst Power Outage

A catastrophic fire knocked out power at Heathrow Airport, causing massive flight cancellations and affecting thousands of passengers. The blaze, unprecedented in its scale, also disrupted local power supplies, while airlines diverted numerous flights. Recovery is expected to take several days.

A catastrophic fire at a London electrical substation sparked chaos at Heathrow Airport, forcing a complete shutdown and disrupting flights worldwide. The incident led to the cancellation of over 1,350 flights, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded or rerouted.

The fire resulted in a sweeping power outage across west London, affecting thousands of homes and businesses. Aviation expert John Strickland likened the impact to past crises such as 9/11, indicating it could take several days before normal operations are restored.

Major airlines, including Qantas and Emirates, scrambled to reroute flights, while the British government acknowledged the unprecedented nature of the blaze. An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause, as authorities work to restore normalcy at one of the world's busiest airports.

(With inputs from agencies.)