Explosion and fire at Banco Plaza in El Vigía linked to solar inverter battery overload
Oct 2026Published 4 Oct 2026
What happened
On 3 October 2026, an explosion and fire were reported at Banco Plaza on Avenida Bolívar in El Vigía, Mérida state. Emergency services said an overload in the battery of a solar inverter is believed to have ruptured the battery and released gas, leading to a deflagration and fire inside the bank. Firefighters said about 60 per cent of the premises was damaged. Two fire units attended and about 500 litres of water were used. A person passing through the area was injured by the blast wave and taken to hospital. The available report does not say how the overload arose, and it does not report any deaths.
Contributing factors
Emergency services attributed the event to overload of a solar inverter battery, followed by rupture and gas release. The account does not explain the mechanism of the overload.
Lessons learned
- Commercial solar installations with inverter batteries need overload protection and monitoring that staff can act on.
- Battery equipment at occupied premises should be sited and separated so a rupture or gas release is less likely to affect people nearby.
- Site information given to fire crews should include the presence and location of solar batteries.
Source
Published 2026-10-04. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.