Wind turbine destroyed by fire near Breadalbane
Jan 2023Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Hume Highway near Breadalbane, New South Wales
- What
- Wind turbine caught fire at 6am and burned until just before 11am
- Response
- Fire crews attended but could not reach the fire
- Cause
- No immediate cause identified
- Outcome
- Turbine handed back to the operator
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What happened
A wind turbine just off the Hume Highway near Breadalbane in New South Wales caught fire at the rotor hub and one blade, about 90 metres off the ground. The NSW Rural Fire Service was called out at 6am and monitored the ground for spot fires, of which there were none. Firefighting resources could not reach the fire, and power to the structure was isolated. The blaze was visible from the highway and prompted numerous calls from motorists. The fire went out by itself just before 11am and the turbine was handed back to the wind farm operator. No other properties were threatened. No cause was reported.
Lessons learned
- High-altitude turbine fires are too dangerous for direct firefighting intervention.
- Ground crews should focus on monitoring and containing any secondary grass or spot fires.
- Operators should isolate power and allow safe self-extinguishment where access is not feasible.
More lessons on fire suppression and firefighting, detection and monitoring, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Cause of the fire
- Turbine model and age
- Duration of downtime
- Cost of damage and repair
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
