Fire on rooftop solar array at French food warehouse
Published 3 Nov 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
At about 18:30 on a Saturday, a fire broke out on a rooftop photovoltaic installation on a food warehouse in France. Staff were evacuated and the operator called the fire service. The operator triggered the emergency stop, which shut down the whole installation except the solar panels and their cables. On arrival, firefighters cut the electricity supply and fitted shut-off devices to the water network. An electrician disconnected the panels.
Because the panels were lying flat, firefighters could use a foam jet, while taking care not to come into contact with the panels, the extinguishing water, the run-off water or the frames. Firefighters left the site at 21:00. A specialist company recovered and treated 7.5 tonnes of extinguishing water, and 25 one-cubic-metre bulk bags of roof waste were collected. After the event, the operator prepared a summary sheet of the emergency procedure and strengthened staff training at the guard post. The source does not give the date or year of the incident.
Contributing factors
The source does not state the cause. It refers to the operator's view of the likely origin, but the text is cut off before naming it. Not reported.
Lessons learned
- Rooftop PV arrays can stay energised in daylight after the main supply is isolated, so emergency stop designs should be checked to confirm how array DC circuits are isolated.
- Give the fire service a site-specific plan showing PV isolation points, cable routes and how to disconnect panels before they arrive.
- Keep firefighters and their run-off water away from energised panels and frames, and plan for collection and treatment of contaminated extinguishing water and roof waste.
- Train duty staff on emergency stop procedures and keep a written summary sheet at the guard post.
More lessons on electrical protection and isolation, fire suppression and firefighting, worker safety and safe systems of work, from every incident on the register.
Published 2026-11-03. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
