Fire involving solar PV at Detached timber clad house in Stoney Stratton
May 2025Published 28 Sept 2026
- Where
- detached timber-clad house in Stoney Stratton, near Evercreech, Somerset
- What
- fire involving solar PV
- Response
- Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service attended and isolated supply
- Cause
- accidental
- Outcome
- ground floor, first floor and roof 50 per cent damaged by fire
What happened
On 11 May 2025, fire and rescue attended a fire at Detached timber clad house in Stoney Stratton, Somerset, United Kingdom. The service reported that the incident involved solar PV. Crews isolated the electricity supply and requested a sprayable covering used to stop panels generating, and asked the network operator to attend. The fire was later confirmed as accidental. The two-storey property, measuring 25 metres by 15 metres, had the ground floor, first floor and roof 50 per cent damaged by fire and fully damaged by smoke. All persons were reported accounted for. The service did not state whether anyone was injured.
Contributing factors
The service confirmed the fire as accidental. It did not state what started the fire, or whether the solar panels were the point of origin.
Lessons learned
- At a house fire with solar PV, isolating the building supply may not stop panels generating, so crews need PV Stop or similar to reduce shock risk.
- Calling the network operator early reduces electrical risk while firefighters work in the roof space at a PV site.
- A timber-clad house fire can need breathing apparatus and a large attendance even when the cause is not yet known.
Not yet known
- What started the fire
- Whether solar panels were the point of origin
- Whether anyone was injured
- Cost of the damage
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Source
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.