Fire destroys about 34,000 stored solar panels at Tuan An supply yard, Khanh Hoa

What happened

A fire broke out on the morning of Wednesday 10 January 2018 in the 200 square metre supply yard of Tuan An Solar Power JSC in Cam Thinh Tay Commune, Cam Ranh City, Khanh Hoa province, Vietnam. An employee found the fire at around 7.30 am and alerted the local fire department. About 10 fire trucks were sent, and nearly 200 people, including officers and local residents, worked to put it out.

Strong winds and the long distance from water sources kept the fire burning until 1.30 pm. About 34,000 new solar panels were destroyed, with damage estimated at more than VND30 billion (US$1.32 million). The panels had been imported from China in March 2017 for a local 10 MW solar project. They were due to be installed in September 2017, but the project was postponed because of site clearance problems. An initial investigation found that local residents burning rubbish at a nearby site caused the fire.

Contributing factors

An initial investigation identified local residents burning rubbish at a nearby site as the cause. Strong winds and the long distance from water sources kept the fire burning until 1.30 pm. The panels, imported in March 2017, were still in the yard after installation planned for September 2017 was postponed.

Lessons learned

1. Solar modules stored before installation are a large fire load and should be kept clear of vegetation and of places where open burning happens.
2. Equipment storage yards should have a water supply or firefighting provision sized for the stock held, especially where water sources are distant or winds are strong.
3. When installation is delayed, developers should review how long equipment will remain in storage and the fire controls around that storage.

Source

news.tuoitre.vn