Solar panel fire causes evacuation at Cumberland industrial building

What happened

Multiple agencies responded to a fire at an industrial building in Cumberland, Rhode Island. At around 12:15 p.m. on 22 July 2024 a passerby reported heavy black smoke coming from 35 Martin Street. Fire crews found solar panels on fire on the roof. The building was occupied and everyone inside evacuated safely. Rhode Island Energy secured utilities to the building and the solar company attended. There was no structural damage inside the building, the remainder of the roof stayed intact and there was no significant damage to products inside.

The building remained shut down until further notice. The cause is under investigation by the state fire marshal. Some firefighters suffered heat exhaustion while working on the roof fire.

Contributing factors

Fire occurred on a hot day and involved solar panels on a roof, increasing physical demands on responders.

Lessons learned

1. Solar panel fires on occupied building roofs need rapid utility isolation, as shown when Rhode Island Energy secured utilities to the building.
2. Roof solar fires on hot days raise heat exhaustion risk for responders, so rotations and extra resources must be planned.
3. Solar system operators must be contacted at once during roof fires to support safe isolation and access.

Not yet known

• Solar panel model and age
• Exact duration of shutdown
• Cost of damage and repairs

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

Source

wpri.com