Fire involving solar panels at a house in Barnham, West Sussex
Mar 2020Published 6 Oct 2026
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What happened
On 2 March 2020 a fire broke out at about 4pm at a house in Elm Grove South, Barnham, West Sussex. At 4.30pm a West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said crews were dealing with a fire involving solar panels at the property. Crews from Littlehampton, Selsey, Chichester and Worthing attended, and they used a hose to put out the fire. The report does not say where on the house the fire started, what caused it, how much damage was done, or whether anyone was hurt.
Lessons learned
- Homeowners should have rooftop solar systems inspected at regular intervals, including connectors, cabling and isolators.
- Fire services need to know that solar panels are present so crews can plan for parts that stay live in daylight.
- Reporting the cause of domestic solar fires, once found, helps installers and owners spot common faults.
Source
Published 2026-10-06. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.