Sean Wilkinson – The Conversation

Fire engines attend the North Hyde electrical substation. PA Images / Alamy

March 21, 2025

Heathrow closure: what caused the fire and why did it bring down the whole airport? Expert panel

Kirk Chang, University of East London; Barry Hayes, University College Cork; Chenghong Gu, University of Bath; Colin Manning, Newcastle University; Hayley J. Fowler, Newcastle University; Paul Cuffe, University College Dublin, and Sean Wilkinson, Newcastle University

The airport is part of the UK’s critical national infrastructure.

Firefighters extinguish the fire at the North Hyde electrical substation which led to the closure of Heathrow. Kirsty Wigglesworth / Alamy

March 27, 2025

Hayley J. Fowler, Newcastle University; Colin Manning, Newcastle University, and Sean Wilkinson, Newcastle University

The UK’s energy system is facing growing threats from unprecedented hazards.