Rooftop solar panel fire on residential block in Lewisham, London

On 2 August 2024 a fire broke out involving a solar panel on the roof of a seven-storey residential building at Loampit Vale, Lewisham, London. London Fire Brigade received the first of 14 calls at 12:19 and brought the fire under control by 13:11. Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters attended, drawn from Lewisham, Greenwich, Lee Green and surrounding stations. Crews deployed a 32-metre ladder to reach the roof and applied PVStop, a black liquid polymer coating that blocks sunlight from reaching solar panels, stopping electricity generation so firefighters could safely tackle the blaze. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation at the time of reporting.

Not reported; the cause of the fire was under investigation at the time of the report.

1. Rooftop solar installations on multi-storey residential buildings can require a substantial fire brigade response, including aerial appliances for access.
2. Specialist agents such as PVStop can be used to de-energise live panels during firefighting, reducing electrical hazards to crews.
3. Investigating and publishing the root cause of rooftop PV fires helps building owners and installers improve fire safety in residential solar deployments.

london-fire.gov.uk/incidents/2024/august/solar-panel-fire-lewisham