Suspected lightning strike starts nacelle fire at Gesner wind farm
June 2023Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Tower 2, Gesner wind farm, 20275 Duart Road, Muirkirk
- Operator
- Saturn Power
- What
- Fibreglass nacelle fire
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Suspected lightning strike, under investigation
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Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Saturn Power
What happened
On the evening of 15 June 2023, firefighters attended a fire at Tower 2 of the Gesner wind farm on Duart Road in Muirkirk, east of Chatham. Saturn Power said the probable cause was a lightning strike and that the fibreglass nacelle ignited. Fire officials said the same night that the cause was undetermined. Crews secured the area, monitored the fire and left after it was extinguished and contained to that tower. No injuries were reported, and technicians were not on site. Saturn Power said it would investigate and assess the damaged tower and had no damage estimate.
Contributing factors
The operator believes a lightning strike was the probable cause. Fire officials initially reported the cause as undetermined. The element reported to have ignited was the fibreglass nacelle.
Lessons learned
- Record a lightning assessment as provisional until the operator's investigation and the fire service agree a cause.
- Plan a turbine fire response for height, falling debris and a watch until the fire is out, even when it stays on one tower.
- Account for whether technicians are on the turbine before and during the response.
More lessons on weather and external hazards, structural integrity and turbines, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Confirmed cause of the fire
- Turbine model and age
- Cost of the damage
- Downtime for the tower
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Site page: Gesner wind farm (status, dates and other incidents)
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
