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Solar PVUnited KingdomEIR-1552

Fire starts in solar panels on commercial roof in Doncaster

May 2023Published 28 Sept 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisional
Estimated damageEstimated by the register's adjusterHow? Know the real figure?
Figure hidden: shown to subscribersLow confidence
out of service for about •• daysShown in the record →Full estimate
From the recordFailed part hidden
Where
commercial building on Old Bawtry Road, Doncaster
What
fire originated from solar panels on the roof and spread to the insulation layer
Response
four fire engines and one aerial ladder platform attended after 3.45pm call
Cause
Not reported

What happened

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue reported a fire on the roof of a commercial building on Old Bawtry Road, Doncaster. The call was received at 3.45pm on 7 May 2023. Four fire engines and one aerial ladder platform attended. The short report said the fire originated from solar panels on the roof and spread to the insulation layer on the roof. It did not say how the fire was brought under control, or whether anyone was hurt.

Contributing factors

The cause of the panel fire was not reported.

Lessons learned

  1. A fire that starts in rooftop solar panels can spread into the roof insulation, so isolation of the array and access to the roof build-up need to be planned in advance.
  2. A short incident note may not record the cause, injuries or how the fire was stopped, so the operator should keep its own record.
  3. The array and the roof should be inspected before the system is put back into use.

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

Not yet known

  • Cause of the fire
  • Extent of the damage
  • Whether anyone was hurt
  • Duration of the response

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

Source

syfire.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: rooftop solar fires.

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