Fire starts in solar panels at Leigh primary school
EIR-1244Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 25 September 2026.
A fire broke out on Sunday morning in the main hall of Westleigh Methodist Primary School in Leigh, Greater Manchester. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the likely cause was an electric fault in solar panels on the roof. An eyewitness account given to the emergency services said about four solar panels on the roof were on fire. Intense heat burnt away wiring from the panels, so firefighters said they could not determine if or why an electrical fault occurred. The blaze was contained to the main hall, with no further damage to other school buildings. The school was closed afterwards.
Firefighters said the likely cause was an electric fault in the panels, and later reporting said they believed faulty wiring caused the blaze. Burnt wiring prevented them from confirming whether a fault occurred or why.
- Rooftop solar wiring can be destroyed in a fire, so cause findings may remain limited to what crews and witnesses saw.
- Operators of rooftop arrays should plan for early isolation and for fire crews to work where panels remain energised.
- A panel fire can close a building even when the blaze is contained to one room.
Published 2026-09-25. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.