Fire involving solar panels damages roof of flats in Fleet
July 2022Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
- Where
- Terraced block of flats in Church Crookham, Fleet
- What
- Fire involving solar panels destroys roof of flats
- Response
- Crews used aerial ladder and jets; stop before 5pm on 13 July 2022
- Cause
- Most likely electrical fault connected to the solar panels
- Outcome
- Roof destroyed; one flat significantly damaged, two further flats damaged
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What happened
On 13 July 2022, crews were called just after 3pm to a terraced block of flats in Church Crookham, Fleet, and found the roof well alight in a fire involving solar panels. The fire service said the most likely cause was an electrical fault connected to the solar panels on the roof. Crews from several stations used an aerial ladder and jets. The stop message was received shortly before 5pm. The service reported that the roof was destroyed, with significant damage to one flat, damage to two further flats, and a partial collapse of the roof. No injuries were reported.
Contributing factors
The fire service said the most likely cause was an electrical fault connected to the solar panels. The fault has not been confirmed in the published account.
Lessons learned
- Where a fire service attributes a roof fire to a likely electrical fault on solar panels, operators should treat rooftop DC connections as a priority for inspection.
- A roof fire involving panels can damage several flats even if brought under control within about two hours, so early detection and a clear isolation plan matter.
- Aerial access and jets were used here; owners of blocks with rooftop arrays should be ready to tell crews where panels and isolators are.
More lessons on fire suppression and firefighting, detection and monitoring, electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.
Not yet known
- Precise failure of the electrical fault
- Model and age of the solar panels
- Cost of the damage and repairs
This entry is updated when these are reported. Get an alert for the next one like it.
Source
Published 2026-09-28. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
