Wind turbine catches fire near Thorney in Lincolnshire

What happened

Fire and rescue crews from Crowland and Deeping stations attended a wind turbine fire just off French Drove in the village of Thorney, near Spalding, on 24 April 2022. The turbine is understood to be one of 13 at a wind farm on private land north-east of Thorney, between Crowland and Parson Drove. Pictures showed a long trail of black smoke from the turbine, with the main damage appearing to be at the generator at the rear.

Residents were advised to keep windows closed. The turbines are reported as 100 metres high, and the wind farm as 26 MW and fully operational in 2016. It is not reported whether the fire was extinguished.

Contributing factors

Not reported.

Lessons learned

1. A turbine fire can send a long smoke plume over nearby homes, so resident advice should be ready before the cause is known.
2. Fire access to turbines on private land between villages should be planned with the operator in advance.
3. Apparent damage seen in photographs should not be recorded as the failed component until it is confirmed.

Source

lincolnshirelive.co.uk