Fire damages rooftop solar panels at We The Curious in Bristol
Apr 2022Published 25 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- We The Curious, Bristol
- What
- Fire destroyed more than 60 solar panels
- Response
- Avon Fire and Rescue and police responded
- Cause
- Not confirmed
- Outcome
- Building closed for a few weeks
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What happened
A serious fire on the afternoon of 9 April 2022 damaged the roof of We The Curious in Bristol. Reporting said dozens of solar panels on the roof were destroyed, and that more than 60 of the building's array of around 200 panels, described as Bristol's largest photovoltaic array, were completely destroyed. The report said solar panels catching fire appeared to be the cause. We The Curious said fire and water had caused significant damage to the roof, the second floor and other areas where water had come through, while the main exhibition floors appeared relatively unharmed.
The site was closed for the Easter holidays and said it would remain closed for a few weeks. Avon Fire and Rescue was thanked for its response.
Contributing factors
The cause of this fire was not established in the report. The article cited general analysis by the BRE National Solar Centre on possible causes of solar panel fires, including a design error, a faulty product or poor installation, and noted that poor installation leading to water in DC isolators has been a frequent cause of recent fires elsewhere. That analysis was not presented as a finding for this incident.
Lessons learned
- Treat early reports that solar panels appeared to have started a roof fire as unconfirmed until an investigation is complete.
- Where a rooftop array is involved, plan for both fire damage and water damage to the building below.
- Record how many panels were destroyed and what remains unknown, so later reviews do not treat a suspected cause as established.
More lessons on investigation and fleet-wide checks, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the fire
- Solar array model and age
- Cost of the damage
- Length of closure
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Other entries that name Bristol
Published 2026-09-25. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
