Heathrow substation fire declared Not Suspicious, Police confirm

English , International - بین الاقوامی , Snippets , / Tuesday, March 25th, 2025

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LONDON, March 25 – The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that the fire at Heathrow Airport’s substation is not being treated as suspicious. After a thorough investigation, the police reported that no criminal activity was involved in the incident, which temporarily halted operations at the UK’s busiest airport.
The fire, which started at a transformer in a substation in Hayes on Friday, led to a major power outage. Heathrow Airport was forced to suspend operations for 18 hours, affecting around 1,400 flights and causing widespread disruption for passengers worldwide. Over 63,000 homes were left without power in the surrounding areas.
Counter-terrorism officers were initially involved in the investigation, but the police have now ruled out any criminal intent. Officers continue to collaborate with the London Fire Brigade and the National Grid to determine the cause of the fire, which reportedly began around midnight.
Despite having backup power from other substations, Heathrow’s closure led to questions about the airport’s resilience. Heathrow Airport’s Chief Executive, Thomas Woldbye, explained that the shutdown was not due to a lack of power but the time required to switch from the damaged substation to other operational sources.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has called for a review of the incident, citing concerns about the UK’s energy infrastructure and resilience, especially around major transport hubs like Heathrow.
The airport resumed full operations by Saturday morning, and Heathrow officials have promised to learn from the incident to ensure better preparedness in the future.