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Solar PVUnited StatesEIR-1413

Solar panel fire prompts brief evacuation at Apple campus in Austin

Aug 2016Published 28 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
Building in Austin, Texas
What
Fire on roof from solar panels, brief evacuation
Injuries
None reported
Cause
Solar panels on roof of offices
Outcome
Fire extinguished, staff waiting to return

Companies named in the reporting of this entry (being named is not a finding of fault): Apple

What happened

On 30 August 2016, Apple briefly evacuated employees from a building at its Austin, Texas campus after a fire on the roof. Local station KXAN reported that solar panels on offices in the 5500 block of West Parmer Lane were the cause. The Austin Fire Department confirmed that the fire had been extinguished and that no injuries had been reported. Employees were waiting to return to the building. It is not reported whether they had re-entered by the time of the report.

Contributing factors

The source does not report how the fire started beyond KXAN identifying the rooftop solar panels as the cause.

Lessons learned

  1. A fire limited to rooftop solar equipment can still require a precautionary building evacuation.
  2. Occupiers should be able to tell the fire service where roof arrays are so isolation and extinguishment can be confirmed.
  3. Re-entry should wait until the fire service says the fire is out and the array is safe.

More lessons on emergency response and public communication, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Root cause of the solar panel fire
  • Solar panel model and age
  • Length of building closure

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

Source

9to5mac.com

Other entries that name Austin

Published 2026-09-28. 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: 154 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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