Wind turbine destroyed by fire at wind farm near Wynyard, England

A wind turbine at a wind farm at High Swainston Farm, close to the A689 between Wynyard and Sedgefield, caught fire before 6pm on 26 September 2019. Reporting said the fire started at the point where the blade is attached to the tower. Smoke was visible from the A19 flyover. Two fire crews from County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue were at the scene at 7pm. A blade later fell from the tower to the ground, and grass at the base of the tower then caught alight. The turbine was reported destroyed. The cause was not reported.

Not reported.

1. Fires at the blade to tower connection can escalate to structural failure and blade detachment, creating a falling debris hazard that should be reflected in site exclusion zones.
2. Fires at height on turbines are difficult for ground based crews to attack directly, so total loss of the unit should be assumed in emergency planning.
3. Burning debris reaching the ground can ignite surrounding vegetation, so vegetation management and wider containment measures matter as much as the turbine itself.

News report via Google News