Firefighter shocked by solar panels during house fire in Durham, North Carolina

What happened

Firefighters responded to a house fire in Durham, North Carolina. Dry and windy conditions complicated efforts to extinguish the blaze. The property featured a lightweight roof fitted with solar panels and had limited upstairs access. One firefighter sustained hand and arm burns. Another firefighter received an electric shock from the solar panel system. The cause of the fire remains under investigation and it is not known whether the solar panels contributed to ignition.

Contributing factors

Lightweight roof construction with solar panels mounted on top, limited access to upper floors, and dry windy weather.

Lessons learned

1. Rooftop solar arrays must be isolated and verified de-energised before contact, as one firefighter received an electric shock from the solar panel system.
2. Lightweight roofs with solar panels need early structural checks, as limited upstairs access and roof construction complicated the response.
3. Pre-incident plans for properties with solar panels should note dry windy conditions that can spread fire and hinder access.

Not yet known

• Whether solar panels contributed to ignition
• Model and age of solar panels
• Cost of damage and downtime

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Source

firefighterclosecalls.com