Solar panel fire spreads through roof of new flats at Ebbsfleet

What happened

On the morning of 23 February 2021 a fire broke out in the roof of a block of 15 unoccupied new flats at Redrow's Ebbsfleet Garden Village development in Ebbsfleet, Kent, England. The building was still under construction and workers were inside when smoke was seen. Kent Fire and Rescue Service sent six fire engines and a bulk water carrier at around 11am. Crews wore breathing apparatus and the fire spread through the roof space before it was brought fully under control.

The incident lasted around five hours and crews finished at about 4pm. An adjacent block of flats was evacuated as a precaution, and its residents were later allowed to return. One Redrow employee was taken to hospital as a precaution. Kent Fire and Rescue Service said a fire investigation found the fire started accidentally when a solar panel caught alight and spread to the roof.

Contributing factors

The fire service found that a solar panel caught alight accidentally and the fire spread to the roof of the building. The building was under construction at the time. The specific fault in the panel or its wiring was not reported.

Lessons learned

1. Treat rooftop PV on buildings under construction as live equipment from the moment panels are exposed to daylight, and control who works near it.
2. Commission and test rooftop systems, including connectors and cable routes, before the roof space is closed up, and record the results.
3. Assess how a fire starting at the array could spread into the roof space and specify fire separation and roof covering accordingly.
4. Make sure site fire plans for construction projects cover PV arrays, including isolation and firefighter access.

More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, spacing, layout and fire spread, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.

Source

kentonline.co.uk