PREVIEW

Heathrow Shutdown Fire Cause Remains Unknown, Interim Report Reveals. The cause of the fire that led to Heathrow’s temporary closure remains unclear, according to an interim report from the National Energy System Operator (Neso). The fire, which broke out on 20 March at an electrical substation, caused a power outage that affected over 270,000 journeys worldwide. Heathrow was closed to all flights for most of 21 March as crews worked to restore power, which was restored seven hours before flights resumed. The Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism unit found no evidence suggesting the incident was suspicious following an initial investigation. Neso’s detailed timeline reveals the fire started at 23:21 GMT on 20 March, caused by one of three supergrid transformers catching fire. The fire resulted in the simultaneous loss of connection to Heathrow’s power supply, disrupting power for 66,919 customers. Despite Heathrow having emergency backup power systems, the airport closed due to delays in switching power from the damaged substation to the operational ones. The incident led to criticism over Heathrow’s decision to shut down, as the airport had enough power to run safety systems despite the fire. Power was restored to Heathrow’s four passenger terminals by 10:56 on 21 March, and the full airport network regained power by 14:23. Heathrow’s CEO emphasizes the importance of understanding the cause of the fire to enhance the UK's energy grid resilience in the future.
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