Fire in rooftop solar systems at Europa Point Stadium in Gibraltar

What happened

On 10 March 2026 a fire broke out in the solar photovoltaic systems installed on the roof of the Europa Point Stadium in Gibraltar. The Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze involved solar panels on the sports complex, that two fire appliances were deployed, and that crews contained and extinguished it. The service gave no further details. Local media, as reported by pv magazine, said the fire was put out in 20 minutes and was caused by an electrical fault when an arcing cable overheated.

Injuries and the extent of damage were not reported. In May 2023 a separate fire on two solar panels at the same stadium damaged the roof waterproof membrane, and flooding followed later heavy rain. Gibraltar's government said repairs had addressed that damage and that costs were covered by general insurance.

Contributing factors

Local media reported an electrical fault in which an arcing cable overheated. The fire service did not state a cause.

Lessons learned

1. Rooftop PV cable runs and joints should be inspected for damage that can lead to arcing and overheating.
2. Clear access and isolation information for roof-mounted arrays helps crews contain a small electrical fire.
3. A later fire at the same array is a reason to review earlier repairs and the condition of cabling, not only the panels that were replaced.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, from every incident on the register.

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.

Source

pv magazine (pv-magazine.com)