Fire incidents involving solar panels

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, on behalf of global insurer QBE, to request the following information from the Fire Authority. Please may you provide me with answers to the questions below regarding solar panel fires.

If possible, please provide the information in the Excel spreadsheet attached. If you are unable to answer any questions, please complete the questionnaire as best as possible and share any available relevant data.

1. How many fire incidents involving solar panels (photovoltaic) systems were recorded in the following time periods?

01/01/2022 - 31/12/2022

01/01/2023 - 31/12/2023

01/01/2024 - 31/12/2024

2. In 2024, how many fire incidents involving solar panels occurred in each of the following locations?

- Residential properties

- Commercial properties

- Industrial properties

- Solar farms (ground-mounted solar installations)

3. In 2024, how many solar-panel related fires originated in the following settings?

- Solar panel

- DC cabling/ connectors

- Invertor

- Battery bank

4. In 2024, how many solar panel fires involved solar panels in the following size ranges;

- 10-30 m² (metres squared)

- 31-100 m²

- 101-250 m²

- 251-1000 m²

- Larger than 1000 m² 

5a. In 2024, how many solar panel-related fires required activation of a fireman's switch?

5b. Of those not activated, how many were due to concerns about the risk of using water on an energised system?

6. In 2024, during solar-panel fire incidents at properties with rooftop installations, how many times were firefighters unable to access the roof to suppress the fire?

Where roof access was not possible, how many times was the reason recorded as one of the following:                                            
i.     Inadequate access to roof walkway                                                  
ii.     Electrical hazard/live electrical risk                                                
iii.     Lack of suitable PPE (e.g., non-conductive protective clothing)

I can confirm that some of the information requested is held by Lincolnshire County Council. I have detailed below the information that is being released to you. 

1.

2.

 3-6. This information is not recorded