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Counter-terrorism detectives from the Metropolitan Police are leading the investigation—not due to any current evidence of foul play, but because of the substation's location and the critical infrastructure affected. A Met spokesperson explained: “Counter Terrorism Command has the specialist resources and capabilities to investigate this incident at pace, minimising disruption and identifying the cause.”
Explosions and Power Outages Leave Thousands Stranded
The blaze, which erupted late Thursday night at the North Hyde substation in Hayes, sent flames shooting into the sky and knocked out power to thousands of homes. Two explosions were heard before the fire took hold. Emergency services were first called to the scene at 23:20 GMT.London Fire Brigade (LFB) dispatched ten fire engines and around 70 firefighters to tackle the inferno. Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Smith described the scene: “The fire involved a transformer containing 25,000 litres of cooling oil, fully alight. This created a major hazard due to the still-live high-voltage equipment and the nature of the oil-fueled fire.”
Power outages affected Heathrow’s terminals, grounding at least 1,351 flights on Friday, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24. Some 120 flights were already in the air when the shutdown was announced, forcing them to divert.
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Also Read: London's Heathrow shuts down indefinately; asks passengers to not travel to the airport 'under any circumstances'
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Government Scrambles to Restore Order
The government has convened a multi-agency task force, bringing together officials from the Civil Aviation Authority, National Grid, emergency services, and the Department for Transport. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson acknowledged that “there are questions to answer about infrastructure resilience” but insisted that “right now, our priority is resolving this incident.”National Grid has since announced that an “interim solution” has been found to restore power, though Heathrow chiefs say they still do not have clarity on when full operations can resume. The airport explained in a statement: “As the busiest airport in Europe, Heathrow uses as much energy as a small city. It’s not possible to have back-up for all of the energy needed to run our operations safely.”
Also Read: $26 million per day: The staggering cost of Heathrow Airport’s shutdown
Fears Over Infrastructure Weakness
The incident has reignited concerns about the UK’s infrastructure resilience. Ruth Cadbury, chair of the Commons Transport Committee, said the fire “raises serious questions about the robustness of our key infrastructure”. Economist Sree Kochugovindan compared the disruption to the 2010 Eyjafjallaj?kull volcanic eruption, which grounded flights across Europe: “The short-term impact is immense, affecting passengers and businesses reliant on cargo. Longer-term, this should serve as a wake-up call to modernise and reinforce critical infrastructure.”Paul Charles, a travel consultant, estimated that the shutdown could cost Heathrow “around ?20 million per day”. He added: “A back-up system should be failsafe. Heathrow is too vital to the UK economy to be left vulnerable like this.”
Terrifying Ordeal for Local Residents
For those living near the fire, the experience was harrowing. Vaneca Sinclair, 64, described the terrifying moment she heard the explosion: “Suddenly there was this huge bang, and the house just shook. I opened the front door, and there were flames everywhere.”Her neighbour, Savita Kapur, 51, had to evacuate her elderly mother. “I literally just ran out of the house. The second explosion went off as I was driving, and the whole ground shook.”
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Hundreds of residents were evacuated, many gathering at a nearby Premier Inn where they sought refuge, warmth, and information.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about what exactly caused the fire and how such an event could be prevented in the future.
Energy regulator Ofgem has pledged a full review into the incident, while Heathrow is working on a plan to redirect power to critical areas. However, with no definitive timeline for restoration, passengers, businesses, and local residents face uncertainty in the days ahead.
For now, Heathrow remains closed, with a warning from airport authorities: “Passengers should not travel under any circumstances until the airport reopens.”
Also Read: Heathrow closed due to power cut: 'Maybe India can help UK manage its airports better,' jokes ex-union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar
