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Solar PVUnited KingdomEIR-2589

Rooftop solar panels reported to have overheated and sparked fire at Colchester church

Aug 2022Published 27 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor

SignificantThermal / fireProvisionalNext update 27 Oct
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What happened

A fire broke out on the roof of a Victorian listed former army garrison gym in Abbey Field, Colchester, on 8 August 2022. The building, owned by Colchester Council, is home to the C3 Church. The Colchester Gazette reported that it understood the fire started after solar panels on the roof overheated in hot weather. Essex County Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that solar panels were involved. Crews were called at 11.32am and the fire was extinguished by 1.10pm, with three fire appliances attending.

A local observer said no water entered the building because a new roof, installed after an earlier fire, prevented water penetration, and described the damage as superficial. The source does not report any injuries.

Contributing factors

The Gazette understood that hot weather caused the panels to overheat. The fire service did not state a cause in the source. The roof had been replaced after a previous fire on the building.

Lessons learned

  1. Rooftop solar arrays on older or heritage buildings should be checked for overheating risk during hot weather, including ventilation around modules and the condition of connections.
  2. Building owners should give the fire and rescue service accurate information about rooftop PV, including where isolation points are, so crews can work safely.
  3. Where a building has suffered a previous fire, the solar installation should be reviewed as part of the fire risk assessment before it is reinstated or expanded.

More lessons on weather and external hazards, electrical protection and isolation, from every incident on the register.

Source

gazette-news.co.uk

Other entries that name Colchester

Published 2026-10-27. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.

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