Heathrow chaos in pictures: Fed-up passengers stranded after fire shuts down entire airport

Heathrow Airport has closed after a fire at a nearby power station created a major power outage, and pictures show the sheer chaos it has caused.

No flights will run in or out of the airport on Friday (21st March), with passengers being told to stay away from the area.

The airport will remain shut until midnight, which will disrupt an estimated 1,357 flights, 679 arrivals into Heathrow and 678 departures out of the airport.

“To maintain the safety of our passengers and colleagues, we have no choice but to close Heathrow until 23h59 on 21 March 2025,” Heathrow said in a statement.

“We expect significant disruption over the coming days and passengers should not travel to the airport under any circumstances until the airport reopens.”

Pictures taken by a local resident called Rebecca, who lives in Hayes, show the massive blaze and black smoke towering above homes.

Credit: SWNS

She was sat in her garden on Thursday night when she heard a “huge explosion” at 11pm and the sky “lit up”.

“I rang my other half who was inside and said ‘did you hear that bang? He looked outside and saw all of our neighbours coming out to see what was going on,” she said via SWNS.

They walked up the road and could feel the heat on their faces because the fire was so big.

“There were so many people and fire engines, police and ambulance – it was very scary. We heard they were evacuating people who were closer but thankfully we are safe.”

Credit: SWNS

More photos show the tired and annoyed passengers who have been left stranded in the UK’s busiest airport.

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The chaos isn’t just at Heathrow either, it’s had a knock-on effect at airports in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh as flights due for Heathrow were diverted there.

Fed-up passengers are lining the airport floors surrounded by luggage, waiting to hear when their flight will be rescheduled.

Credit: SWNS

Radhika Thiagarajan was supposed to fly to Hanover, Germany this morning to meet a friend, but got a text at 5am saying her flight had been cancelled.

“I haven’t seen my best friend for six months and so today I was supposed to be flying to Germany. We’ve booked everything for the trip,” she said.

“So I’m in a sticky situation as British Airways are only offering to rebook me to fly back to Hanover – but that will be no use to me by tomorrow.”

Credit: SWNS

She’s booked another flight to Berlin from Stansted tomorrow for an extra £200, but also has had to pay for an extra night at the airport hotel and travel to the new airport.

“I’ve used annual leave for this. It’s just been beyond stressful.”

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Another couple and their 14-year-old daughter were due to fly home to Hawaii after going on holiday to Rome, Paris, and London.

They travelled all the way to the airport before realising it was closed and it was actually one of the ticket agents who told them what had happened.

It was chaos trying to leave the airport, and the wife said: “They weren’t letting cars in so we couldn’t get a taxi – so we had to get a train to a bus stop and then get a bus here.”

Credit: SWNS

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband told Sky News it’s “too early to know” what caused the “catastrophic fire”.

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Featured image by: SWNS