Electrical fault in solar panel control unit sparks loft fire in Ipswich
Apr 2021Published 3 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
On Monday 26 April 2021, four fire crews from Ipswich East, Woodbridge and Holbrook were called to a two-storey house in a cul-de-sac in Ipswich after a solar panel control unit caught fire in the loft. Firefighters used an aerial ladder. Smoke was seen coming from the roof, but crews extinguished the fire before it spread to the roof itself. The fire was contained within the loft and was extinguished shortly after 11am.
No one was injured. A station manager described the fire as electrical, starting from the control panel of the solar panels. Crews were also called the same morning to a separate major roof fire at a thatched property in Thwaite.
Contributing factors
The source attributes the fire to an electrical fault in the control panel of the solar panels. No other contributing factors are reported.
Lessons learned
- Control units and inverters installed in loft spaces can fail electrically and ignite surrounding materials, so periodic inspection is good practice.
- Owners should keep combustible storage away from solar control equipment in roof voids.
- Fire services attending solar fires benefit from clear information on the location of isolators and control equipment before crews enter a roof space.
More lessons on maintenance, inspection and ageing assets, fire suppression and firefighting, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-11-03. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
