Three workers killed after nacelle fire on Sinovel turbine, northern China
2011Published 1 May 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- onshore wind farm in northern China
- Manufacturer
- Sinovel
- What
- nacelle fire after electric shock
- Injuries
- three workers died
- Cause
- Not reported
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Sinovel
What happened
In 2011, three workers died following an incident in the nacelle of a Sinovel turbine at an onshore wind farm in northern China. Sector trade press reporting indicated that the sequence began when one worker suffered an electric shock in the nacelle. Two further workers sustained severe burns in the fire that followed and later died in hospital. Sinovel stated at the time that it was investigating the cause. No detailed findings on causation were published in the sources reviewed.
The incident occurred during a period of rapid growth in the national wind fleet, during which the national energy regulator had asked the national wind industry association to carry out a wide ranging review of turbine quality.
Contributing factors
Causation for this incident was not disclosed in the sources reviewed. Reporting established only that an electric shock in the nacelle was followed by a fire, and that two workers died of burn injuries after being taken to hospital. The wider context reported at the time was a national review of turbine quality during a period of rapid fleet growth, which was not linked by the sources to this specific event. The severity of the burn injuries and the elevated, confined nature of the nacelle work location are consistent with the recognised difficulty of escape and rescue from a nacelle during a fire, but no source confirmed the escape or rescue arrangements in place.
Lessons learned
- Electric shock in a nacelle led to fire, so operators must confirm and record isolation and lock out before work on energised nacelle equipment.
- Severe burns in a confined nacelle caused two deaths, so plans must cover rapid descent, first aid and handover for multiple casualties at height.
More lessons on structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the electric shock
- Turbine model and age
- Rescue arrangements in place
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Published 2026-05-01. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
