A huge explosion at a power substation in Hayes, west London, has caused significant disruption by halting operations at Heathrow Airport and cutting electricity to more than 16,000 homes. Emergency services responded swiftly after a transformer caught fire just before midnight on Thursday, March 20, forcing 179 residents to evacuate their homes.
The fire broke out around 11.30pm at the Nestles Avenue substation. The London Fire Brigade launched a major operation, battling the flames for eight hours. The blaze was brought under control by 7.45am on Friday, with no injuries reported.
“I would like to thank firefighters and control officers for their courage and professionalism in bringing this incident under control in what were very challenging circumstances,” said LFB Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Smith.
Authorities evacuated 29 residents living closest to the substation, while another 150 people were relocated to a rest centre for safety and support during the incident. The power outage affected thousands of homes across the area.
The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation due to the substation’s status as critical national infrastructure. Although no evidence of foul play has been found, police remain cautious.
“We are working with the Fire Brigade to establish the cause. While there is currently no indication of foul play, we keep an open mind,” said a Metropolitan Police spokesperson.
The explosion caused a power failure at Heathrow Airport, resulting in cancellations and delays affecting over 1,300 flights. Passengers were stranded as flights were either diverted or returned to their points of origin. Heathrow Airport has warned that disruptions could continue for several days with no immediate solution available.
National Express has cancelled all services to Heathrow in response to the incident. Travellers are advised to contact their airlines for rebooking options. Information on compensation rights under UK and EU regulations is also available.
Local residents reported hearing a “massive explosion” and seeing thick smoke shortly before the power outage. One witness described the scene, saying, “It just smelled like burning—it was hard to tell where it was coming from.”
Recovery efforts are ongoing, with fire safety teams, investigators, and engineers assessing the damage and working to restore power. Authorities urge the public to follow official updates as emergency operations continue.
Originally published by UKNIP.
