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Solar PVUnited StatesEIR-1302

Solar panels start fire at Racine event venue

Nov 2017Published 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
The Covenant at Murray Mansion, 2219 Washington Ave, Racine
What
Two rooftop solar panels started a fire
Cause
Not reported

What happened

On a Tuesday in late November 2017, two rooftop solar panels started a fire at The Covenant at Murray Mansion, a wedding and event venue at 2219 Washington Ave in Racine. A published photograph showed the damaged panels on the roof, with a fire truck at the scene. The report does not say how the fire started, how far it spread, whether anyone was hurt, or how it was put out.

Contributing factors

Not reported.

Lessons learned

  1. Rooftop solar equipment can be the point of origin of a building fire, so people on site should know how to isolate the array.
  2. A short early report can confirm damaged panels without explaining the fault, so operators should not treat the headline as a cause finding.
  3. Venues should plan how fire crews reach a roof array and how the array is made safe before crews work on it.

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

Not yet known

  • Cause of the fire
  • Whether anyone was hurt
  • Whether the venue closed
  • How far the fire spread

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

Source

journaltimes.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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