International travel thrown into chaos after power failure shuts down London’s Heathrow Airport

**Summary**

A fire at a power substation near London’s Heathrow Airport caused a massive power outage, grounding over 1,300 flights and stranding 200,000 passengers.

The disruption, expected to last through the weekend, left travelers worldwide scrambling for alternatives. British Energy Secretary Ed Miliband called the incident "unprecedented."

The fire damaged a backup generator and caused local power outages affecting 4,900 customers. British Airways was hit hardest, with at least 124 canceled flights.