Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is warning residents with solar panels to remain observant and take steps to protect their homes after a series of fires occurred among the panels at the beginning of this month.
FRNSW said solar panels were found to be the cause of four fires that broke out in the space of one week.
“The first at a home in Lalor Park, where the isolating switch for the solar panels was found to have failed,” FRNSW said.
“Another occurred in Maryland, near Newcastle, due to a short-circuiting of a solar power box, resulting in smoke omitting from the box,” it said.
“A home in Pennant Hills saw solar panels catch alight and FRNSW firefighters arrived to find a smouldering fire.”
“Solar panels at a school in Parramatta also caused a fire on the roof due to a failure in the isolating switch.”
FRNSW said fire incidents related to solar panels were up by more than 20 per cent from this time last year, with solar isolation switches causing almost half of all the panel-related fires.
Commissioner for Fair Trading, Rose Webb said it was vital to ensure that solar panel systems are installed by a professional.
“If you’re considering installing solar panels at your property, any system you install needs to comply with Australian standards,” Ms Webb said.
“It’s also essential that you use a contractor that’s qualified to do the installation and wiring, so it’s always a good idea to do a licence check with NSW Fair Trading before any work takes place” she said.
Superintendent of the Fire Investigation and Research Unit, Graham Kingsland said his Unit had seen solar panel related fires increase five-fold over the past five years.
