Energy Incident Register
Register / Solar PV / EIR-1246
← Back to the list
Solar PVUnited StatesEIR-1246

Solar panels catch fire on Beavercreek Walmart roof

Mar 2018Published 25 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorThermal / fireProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersLow confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
Where
Beavercreek Walmart Supercenter at 3360 Pentagon Blvd
What
Solar panels on the roof caught fire on 7 March 2018
Injuries
No one was injured
Response
Crews from three fire departments were called
Cause
Not reported

What happened

Solar panels on the roof of the Beavercreek Walmart Supercenter at 3360 Pentagon Blvd caught fire on 7 March 2018. Crews from three fire departments were called after smoke and flames were reported from the roof. The store and nearby stores were evacuated, and gas and electricity to the store were shut off. A light smoke haze was reported inside. No one was injured. The store stayed closed for inspections and had reopened by the following Thursday, according to the 16 March report.

Contributing factors

The cause of the panel fire was not reported. Fire officials said gas lines and electric wires were damaged and were being checked by the utilities.

Lessons learned

  1. A rooftop solar fire can require evacuation of the occupied store and nearby premises.
  2. Gas and electricity supplies may need isolation after a solar panel fire.
  3. The building may remain closed for inspections after the fire is extinguished.

More lessons on emergency response and public communication, electrical protection and isolation, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Cause of the panel fire
  • Solar panel model and age
  • Cost of repairs and lost trade

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

Source

whio.com

Other entries that name Walmart

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

See the register's stories first in Google: add it as a preferred source.

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.

Browse the full register or submit an incident.