Guest essay by Eric Worrall
h/t Man BearPig – A massive fire has ripped through a new building development in London, thankfully untenanted and still under construction. Witnesses suggest the fire appears to have been concentrated around the building’s solar panels.
Large blaze breaks out at brand new block of £1million flats in East London ‘after solar panels catch fire’
- Flames engulfed roof of Bow Wharf building near Bethnal Green in East London
- Eyewitness said that the property’s solar panels appeared to have caught fire
- He told MailOnline: ‘Half the roof is either burned away or collapsed’
By Scott Campbell For Mailonline
PUBLISHED: 21:00 +10:00, 2 July 2017 | UPDATED: 02:26 +10:00, 3 July 2017
A large blaze broke at a brand new block of flats in East London this afternoon with witnesses claiming the building’s solar panels appeared to have caught fire.
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The trendy ‘residential waterside development’ – which is still under construction – contains five houses and 19 apartments which were set to sell for as much as £1million each.
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One eyewitness who lives opposite the flats told MailOnline: ‘Half the roof is either burned away or collapsed.
‘They’ve got a crane with the hose on the flames. They struggled slightly at first with access because it’s right beside Regent’s Canal.
‘I noticed massive billows of smoke when I was leaving my flat so I quickly rushed back and noticed it was the building opposite.
‘It’s the new block of flats that’s been under construction for quite a while now.
‘The spread seemed concentrated around the solar panels on the top. It looked a bit like the solar panels were on fire.
‘Originally I thought the flames were coming from one of the nearby high rise blocks but then I realised it’s a new build that’s not finished yet so that was a relief.
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4658696/Large-blaze-brand-new-block-flats-East-London.html
This is not the first time rooftop solar panels have been implicated in a building fire. Solar panels are a known hazard for fire fighters;
Fire service raises solar panels shock concerns
9 May 2013
Fire crews in Devon and Somerset have been warned by bosses to be careful of solar panels at emergency scenes in case they get electric shocks.
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Speaking about its new guidance, the service said: “The main hazard to be aware of is that the system can remain live even after it has been isolated, presenting the potential for an electric shock.
“There is also the danger of damaged solar panels falling from the roof.
“At incidents of every nature, the incident commander will carry out a risk assessment to ensure that all the potential hazards are taken into account to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.”
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Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-22462664
While it hasn’t been confirmed solar panels played a role in this fire, it is certainly plausible. When the sun is shining the power produced by solar panels is substantial, more than enough to start or potentially accelerate a fire – especially if that power is concentrated through a short circuit caused by incorrectly connected wires, wires damaged by vermin, or a simple short circuit triggered by defective components.
Solar panels usually contain substantial quantities of extremely toxic metals such as cadmium, lead and arsenic – so it seems likely that burnt panels may present a toxic dust environmental hazard after a major fire.
In the right circumstance a 9v battery and wire wool will start a fire. With an array hooked up I am sure there is plenty of current to burn anything in a short.
I have seen what 2 12v 400a/h batteries can do hooked up in series in a short. The insulation of the wiring loom didn’t last long.
Confusing.
Do solar panels burn or not?
Maybe it is like cladding, some manufactures do and some do not.
In any event, it is best to discover faults early with evolving technologies. Typically this process starts when someone observes “That should have happened.”
Congrats, Eric Worrall, for publicising this early heads up.
Progress should follow, with decreased future harm, should panels have this danger.
Geoff
They don’t burn, but if the temperatures get high enough parts of them can melt and or be vaporized.
My roof is the last place I’d put solar panels. I just don’t understand how anyone can think it’s a good idea to have hundreds of holes on the roof that have to be sealed with caulk. Imagine having to find a leak and fix it. No thank you.
Just say, you want to put the millions of solar plants into the open landscape? Where are the salamanders, mice, rats, and fish? They need no more eyes, as the solar systems will shadow their habitat. In a few thousand years, mice without eyes will stagger around the area. And if these mice are still white, oh, oh …..
agree if i ever do use solar panels theyll be on isolated stands away from the house and off grid charging batteries and to the house for day drawdown
older homes roofing structures need rebuilding to take the weight
and then of course what happens when you need to find a leak OR replace the entire roofs Galv?
no way removing panels before even starting the roof is a good look
cost and workload would be huge!
Know as smoke emitting diodes in the trade for good reason.
Perhaps foam would be a good firefighting solution.
A bad connection increases resistance which increases heat. If the connection degrades to the point that an air gap is created, at voltages and currents typical with PVs, there will be an arc.
Has anyone considered Gaia is sending a message about how covering the planet with solar panels, wind turbines and “energy-saving” buildings is NOT what should be happening?
The spread seemed concentrated around the solar panels on the top. It looked a bit like the solar panels were on fire.
I am skeptical as well. Did the fire originate within the solar panel system? Or did the fire start somewhere else and eventually ignite the panels, resulting in dramatic-looking smoke and flames? Fire is a hazard at many construction sites, with or without solar panels.
Regardless, I would be interested in seeing the fire marshal’s report as to the cause, but I’m sure we won’t see that for many months (if ever).
Putting a continuous cover, no matter how fire proof a few centimeters above a slanting roof with openings at the top and bottom will virtually guarantee that any fire in the roof will spread like lightning. Essentially you have converted the roof into a huge flue.
At least it was a politically correct green fire.
This is rubbish “reporting”. Eyewitness accounts are the basis for the conclusion that the panels were the root cause of the fire?
Solar panels “usually” contain lead and arsenic? Really? C-si panels which are the majority of what are installed typically are ROHS compliant. If they do contain lead, it is in the solder, which in general is less than 1g per module with the lead making up <.01% of the solder.
Panels are laminated between 140 and 190 degrees centegrade. Part of certification testing is over 3 months in a climate chamber that reaches 80C with current being driven through them. The modules operate around 45C. That means just to be able to go to market modules operate at 125C with current and they do not combust.
This whole article is ill informed trash. Ou should be ashamed of yourself.
Luxury apartments in Bow? Bethnal Green? East from White Chapel? Has the area turned into a property developers paradise? I don’t know, but was under the impression Canary Wharf bankers, brokers et cetera prefer housing in the West or on the banks of Thames river instead. And for the next years to come it’s likely to be buyers market.
Yes!
Almost anywhere in the East of London is going upmarket…
(The vastly improved/improving transport links help)
Latest wind turbine fire:
http://www.kesq.com/news/windmill-fire-causes-over-1-million-in-damage/566642880
Again, I suggest you look at the number of turbine fires per year compared to the (absolutely huge) numbers of turbines…
Solar Panel Fire Destroys Multi-story Building Roof.
Should be Fire Destroys Multi-story Building Roof with solar panels on.
Trying to attack solar panels in this way is not on.
As far as we all know there are millions of installed solar panels on roofs and in other locations safely producing power if and when the sun shines.
The manufacturers have to go through semi stringent testing and regulations to make sure thes products do not catch fire and do not electrocute people.
Firefighters should not go on burning rooves, rule number one.
They collapse and kill firefighters on rooves.
So scotch that comment about roof dangers.
Fires can start in rooves, lots of electrical wires, rats, rats eat the plastic, bingo.
What is on top of said rooves? Solar panels.
This story is a beat up.
Solar panels have a place.
They also have a cost
Solar panels have a lot of real problems in terms of producing continuous cheap reliable energy and their true cost.
Do not have to go into alarmism though to run them down.
We had a roof installation scheme in Australia that caused real fire problems due to faulty installation and being inside the roof where they could reach timber to burn.
Solar panels are way safer.