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Solar PVUnited StatesEIR-1243

Solar panels catch fire on a Boston building roof

Oct 2015Published 25 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorElectricalProvisional
Reported damageFrom the sourceHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersReported figure
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordRoot cause hiddenFailed part hidden
Where
518 Tremont St in Boston
What
Several solar panels caught fire on roof
Injuries
One person taken to hospital for smoke inhalation
Cause
Under investigation
Outcome
Damage estimated at around $50,000

What happened

On 30 October 2015, fire crews were called just before 1 p.m. to a roof fire at 518 Tremont St. in Boston. Several solar panels on the building caught fire. Crews extinguished the blaze a short time after arrival. Portions of the panels dropped during the fire, and parts of the rubber roof also ignited, according to Boston fire officials. One person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation. Damage was estimated at around $50,000. Reports described the panels as malfunctioning, but officials said it was not known why they ignited and an investigation was under way.

Contributing factors

The cause was not established. The report described the panels as malfunctioning, and said an investigation was under way.

Lessons learned

  1. A rooftop solar fire can ignite the roof covering and drop panel debris, so access routes and isolation steps must be set before crews arrive.
  2. Smoke from a panel fire can injure people even when the blaze is put out quickly, so breathing protection must stay in place.
  3. If the reason panels ignited is not known, the array and roof should be recorded before damaged equipment is removed.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Cause of the panel malfunction
  • Model and age of the solar panels
  • Time the array was offline

This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.

Source

wcvb.com

Published 2026-09-25. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Solar PV incidents in the United States, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Solar PV incidents in the United States: 152 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Solar farm fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: rooftop solar fires.

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