Counter-terrorism officers from the Metropolitan Police are leading the investigation into a major fire at an electrical substation near Heathrow Airport, which has forced the closure of the UK’s busiest airport and caused widespread disruption. The fire, which broke out on Thursday night in Hayes, west London, involved a transformer containing 25,000 litres of cooling fluid and was accompanied by two explosions. While the police stated there is “currently no indication of foul play,” they are keeping an “open mind” about the cause of the blaze.
The incident has led to the evacuation of nearby homes, the closure of local schools, and power outages affecting thousands of residents. National Grid reported that power had been restored to 62,000 customers by 06:00 GMT, but around 4,900 homes remain without electricity. Heathrow Airport has warned of “significant disruption” over the coming days and advised passengers not to travel “under any circumstances” until it reopens.
The Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command is leading the investigation due to the substation’s critical role in national infrastructure and the incident’s impact on Heathrow. A spokesperson said the command has the “specialist resources and capabilities” to investigate the cause quickly and minimize disruption.
Flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that at least 1,351 flights to and from Heathrow will be affected on Friday, with 120 aircraft already in the air when the closure was announced. The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, described the event as “unprecedented” and said the government would seek to understand the causes and lessons to be learned. Ruth Cadbury, chair of the Commons Transport Committee, emphasized the need to examine infrastructure resilience in light of the incident.
Ofgem, the energy regulator, has announced it will commission a review to determine the cause of the fire and identify any necessary improvements. As the investigation continues, the full extent of the disruption and its impact on travelers and residents remains to be seen.
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