Fire at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol started in solar panels
2025Published 28 Sept 2026
- Where
- St Michael's Hospital in Bristol
- Operator
- University Hospitals Bristol
- What
- Fire began in solar panels on the roof
- Injuries
- None reported
- Cause
- Fault in the solar panels
What happened
A fire at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol began in solar panels on the roof. Emergency services attended shortly before 16:30 BST on a Thursday, with flames and smoke visible across the city. The maternity unit was evacuated. Firefighters extinguished the roof fire within an hour and said no other part of the hospital was affected. The hospital reopened by 19:00 the same day. No injuries were reported. University Hospitals Bristol said most services were operating the next day, but a very small number of planned appointments were rescheduled. Avon Fire and Rescue Service said the cause was accidental and due to a fault in the solar panels. An investigation was opened.
Contributing factors
The fire service said the fire was accidental and due to a fault in the solar panels. The nature of that fault was not reported.
Lessons learned
- A fault in rooftop solar panels can force evacuation of a hospital maternity unit even when flames stay on the roof.
- Operators should inspect solar panel systems regularly because an accidental fault can close a hospital for several hours.
Not yet known
- Nature of the solar panel fault
- Solar panel model and age
- Cost of the damage
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Other entries that name Bristol
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.