Rooftop solar panels destroyed in fire at We The Curious, Bristol
EIR-1274Provisional entry. Published from first reports. This entry is rechecked automatically and updated when more sources appear. Next update: 26 September 2026.
On Saturday 9 April 2022 a serious fire broke out at We The Curious in Bristol. Footage published by Bristol24/7 showed dozens of solar panels on the roof destroyed. The venue said it has Bristol's largest photovoltaic array, of around 200 panels, and that more than 60 were completely destroyed. It reported significant fire and water damage to the roof, the second floor and areas where water had come through, and said the main exhibition floors appeared relatively unharmed. The building was closed over the Easter holidays, and the venue later said it would remain closed for a few weeks. It thanked Avon Fire and Rescue and the police for their response. The report said solar panels catching fire appeared to be the cause. That cause had not been confirmed.
The cause of this fire was not established in the report. The article cited analysis by the BRE National Solar Centre on solar panel fires in general, listing an error in system design, a faulty product or poor installation as possible root causes, and noting that poor installation allowing water into DC isolators had been the most frequent cause of recent fires. A reader also raised arson. None of these was confirmed for this incident.
- Treat a rooftop photovoltaic fire as a building fire as well as an electrical event, because water used on the roof can damage floors below.
- Do not treat industry-wide failure modes, such as water in DC isolators, as the cause of a particular fire until an investigation says so.
- Record array size and the number of panels lost so damage can be separated from an unverified cause.
Published 2026-09-25. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.