In brief
Emergency crews continue battling a significant fire that erupted at the North Hyde substation, which supplies power to Heathrow Airport. The incident started early Friday morning, causing power outages for over 16,000 homes in the surrounding area.
On March 21, 2025, around 1:04 a.m. ET, the London Fire Brigade reported that the blaze, fueled by a transformer fire, was still not under control despite efforts from over 70 firefighters. By 4 a.m., half of the transformer remained ablaze, prompting warnings that disruptions would worsen as the morning progressed. Pat Goulbourne, assistant commissioner at the London Fire Brigade, cautioned residents to avoid the area and indicated that emergency crews would remain on-site throughout the night to manage the situation. An evacuation of approximately 150 people was carried out, and a safety perimeter of 650 feet was established around the substation. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, but the local power utility, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, confirmed the extensive outages affecting residents in western London. The fire brigade has been active on social media, sharing updates and images of the thick smoke emanating from the site. As the situation continues to develop, residents are advised to stay updated on the disruptions affecting both local homes and Heathrow Airport operations.
