Heathrow Airport Fire Investigation Reveals No Criminal Links

Fire at electrical substation leads to significant flight disruptions, but counter-terrorism police find no evidence of criminal activity.

A fire that erupted at an electrical substation in Hayes, west London, on Thursday evening has resulted in the closure of Heathrow Airport, Europe’s busiest airport, with significant implications for air travel.

The fire was extinguished by the following evening, but the disruption prompted the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command to lead an investigation into the incident.

As a result of the blaze, all flights at Heathrow were halted until approximately 6 PM on Friday, affecting around 250,000 passengers.

The incident led to the diversion of approximately 1,300 flights, causing widespread disruption as airlines faced operational challenges due to crew members being located in various parts of the world.

On Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police announced that they found no evidence suggesting that the fire was suspicious.

Consequently, the investigation is no longer being treated as a potentially criminal matter; however, authorities remain in close collaboration with National Grid, the London Fire Brigade, and Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN).

John Pettigrew, CEO of National Grid, questioned the decision to close the airport, stating that two other substations that supply power to Heathrow were operational and could have maintained sufficient power for the airport to continue functioning during the incident.

He emphasized that each substation is capable of providing adequate power independently.

In response to the situation, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has directed the National Energy System Operator to conduct an investigation and submit preliminary findings within a six-week timeframe.

Furthermore, an internal review of Heathrow’s crisis management plans is being undertaken by Ruth Kelly, a former transport secretary and current independent member of the airport’s board.

MPs will interrogate Heathrow’s chief executive Thomas Woldbye on April 2 regarding the airport's closure and the overall management of the crisis.

A spokesperson for Heathrow asserted that the fire was an unprecedented issue leading to a rapid reboot of operations, allowing for the resumption of a full flight schedule by Saturday.

Heathrow's management is committed to participating in the two ongoing reviews related to the incident, aimed at assessing the response both at the airport and across the wider energy grid infrastructure.