Solar panel detaches from carport and fatally strikes a pedestrian in Brighton Beach
2025Published 30 Sept 2026
What happened
A solar panel became disconnected from a steel carport structure over an outdoor car park at Ocean Parkway and Brighton Beach Avenue in Brighton Beach, and was blown about 20 feet by the wind. It struck a pedestrian on an adjacent walkway. The person was found unconscious and taken to hospital, and later died. A Department of Buildings investigation said a panel measuring 41 inches by 87 inches had detached from the structure. Access to the nearby pavement was reported closed, as were stairs to a nearby train and part of the car park under a partial vacate order.
Contributing factors
Inspectors reported that the panel had become disconnected from the steel carport and was then carried by the wind. The source does not say why the connection failed.
Lessons learned
- Carport solar arrays over walkways and parking need mountings that can be checked for security before a panel can come free.
- A detached panel can travel in wind and strike people nearby, so the area under and beside the array should be closed once movement is suspected.
- Operators should keep exclusion in place until the mounting has been made safe and the authority has cleared the site.
Source
Published 2026-09-30. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.