Solar panels catch fire on Capitol Hill apartment building
June 2025Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Holiday Apartments, 10th and John, Seattle
- Owner
- Community Roots Housing
- What
- Fire involving solar panels on roof
- Injuries
- None reported
- Response
- Seattle Fire Department, under control at 2:30 PM
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What happened
On 6 June 2025, the Seattle Fire Department was called just after 2 pm to a fire involving solar panels on the roof of the Holiday Apartments, a four-storey building at 10th and John on Capitol Hill in Seattle. Black smoke was visible. Crews had difficulty reaching the fire but kept it from spreading into the building. The fire was declared under control around 2:30 pm. Residents were kept outside and nearby streets were closed. An inspection found no major damage to the building, and no injuries were reported. The Seattle Fire Marshal was investigating the cause, which had not been reported.
Contributing factors
The cause had not been reported. Crews were reported to have had difficulty accessing the fire.
Lessons learned
- Plan roof access and isolation points for rooftop solar so crews can reach a panel fire before it spreads into the building.
- Keep occupants clear and control nearby streets while a rooftop fire is being brought under control.
- Complete and share the cause investigation so similar arrays can be checked.
More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, investigation and fleet-wide checks, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Solar panel model and age
- Cost of any repairs
- Length of street closures
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.
