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Solar PVUnited KingdomEIR-1517

Solar inverter fire spreads to field in Yealmpton

Aug 2025Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

MinorThermal / fireProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersMedium confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
Where
electrical installations in Yealmpton field
What
solar inverter alight with fire spread to field and cabling
Response
crews used CO2 extinguisher, gloves and thermal camera
Cause
Not reported
Outcome
one inverter fully damaged by fire

What happened

Fire crews were called to a solar inverter that was alight in a field in Yealmpton on 6 August 2025. One solar inverter was fully damaged by fire. The fire had spread to the ground and to cabling of another inverter. Crews extinguished it with one carbon dioxide extinguisher, electrical gloves and a thermal imaging camera.

Contributing factors

The fire service report does not state why the inverter caught fire.

Lessons learned

  1. Fire in one solar inverter can spread to the ground and to cabling of another inverter, so nearby cabling and ground cover should be treated as part of the incident.
  2. This electrical installation fire was put out with a carbon dioxide extinguisher, electrical gloves and thermal imaging.
  3. No cause was reported, so a similar event should be investigated before any design or maintenance change is assumed.

More lessons on spacing, layout and fire spread, detection and monitoring, maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, from every incident on the register.

Not yet known

  • Cause of the inverter fire
  • Inverter model and age
  • Downtime and repair cost

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

Source

dsfire.gov.uk

Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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Chart to reuse with this story: Solar PV incidents in the United Kingdom, by year, free with a credit (PNG).

Solar PV incidents in the United Kingdom: 97 entries, with a free alert for the next one.

Solar farm fires: the counts, the latest entries and a free alert for the next one. Also: solar inverter fires.

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