Fire in rooftop solar panels at Europa Point Stadium in Gibraltar
Mar 2026Published 28 Sept 2026
- Where
- Europa Point Stadium, Gibraltar
- What
- Fire broke out in rooftop solar panels
- Response
- Fire service used two appliances and extinguished blaze in 20 minutes
- Cause
- Electrical fault when arcing cable overheated
- Outcome
- Earlier fire at same site damaged roof waterproof membrane
What happened
On 10 March 2026 a fire broke out in the solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of Europa Point Stadium in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service deployed two fire appliances and said it contained and extinguished the blaze, without giving further details. Local media reported that the fire was out in 20 minutes and was caused by an electrical fault when an arcing cable overheated. A fire on solar panels at the same stadium in May 2023 was reported to have damaged the roof waterproof membrane.
Contributing factors
Local media reported an electrical fault in which an arcing cable overheated. The fire service did not state a cause.
Lessons learned
- An arcing cable on rooftop solar panels can overheat and start a fire, so operators should inspect cable connections on a planned cycle.
- A fire on solar panels can damage the roof waterproof membrane, so after repairs operators should confirm the membrane remains sound.
- A repeat fire at the same site shows the need to review prior repairs and add checks after the first event.
Not yet known
- Turbine or panel model and age
- Cost of damage and repairs
- Duration of any power outage
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.