Solar panels catch fire at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Sayreville

What happened

A rack of 25 solar panels caught fire at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Sayreville, United States, on the afternoon of 9 June 2024. A neighbour called emergency services around 3 p.m. Crews from all fire companies responded and extinguished the fire quickly. The fire was limited to the solar panels. Officials said there appeared to be no structural damage to the roof, that no water had penetrated the building, and that the building was otherwise fine.

Power to the panels was turned off. Solar generation at the school was shut down until the installer could determine the cause and confirm the panels were safe. The school was expected to open as usual the next day unless further information was received. The cause was not known, and the investigation was ongoing.

Contributing factors

The cause had not been established. Officials said the investigation was continuing and that the installer would need to determine why the panels caught fire.

Lessons learned

1. Rooftop solar panels can catch fire and spread to the array, so operators should isolate the system at once and keep generation shut down until the installer checks the rest.
2. Firefighting water on a school roof may enter the building, so officials must check for penetration and structural damage before reopening.
3. A neighbour's prompt call and full fire service response can limit damage to solar panels on a school roof.

Not yet known

• Cause of the fire
• Solar panel model and age
• Cost of the damage
• Length of generation shutdown

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

Source

mycentraljersey.com