Lusby, MD – A house fire in Calvert County Thursday, Feb. 16 appears to have posed a challenge for responders that has been a concern on a national level for nearly a decade. The blaze which occurred around 9 p.m. in Lusby was sparked by a chimney pipe containing residue, according to an investigation by the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office. Two occupants of the house were taken to a nearby hospital as a precaution.
The crews responding knew they would have to deal with the major impediment to their efforts. “Crews are still working to bring the fire under control,” the Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department tweeted, adding that the firefighters’ work “is being hampered by solar panels on the roof.”
In a post-fire report, officials from the Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department stated, “As crews entered the location they found that the fire was mostly contained in the attic of the residence. During this time several solar panels where found and removed in order to gain access to the fire.”
In 2010, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) first issued a report showing solar panels attached to the roofs of residences “can present a variety of significant hazards should a fire occur.” The NFPA report was revised in 2013.
A responder blog, FireRescue, quoted firefighting experts as saying solar panels on rooftops can cause roofs to collapse faster during fires. This prevents some firefighting techniques from being implemented, including accessing a burning building to attack the flames. The solar panels also pose a risk of electrocution, firefighters quoted by the blogger stated.
The Washington, DC-based Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) subsequently compiled a list of “issues and policies” regarding fire safety and solar. According to SEIA, the possibility the solar product itself will cause a fire “is extremely rare but may occur as a result of improper connections to the inverter. These types of concerns are addressed by product standards, which ensure product safety. Regarding the concern about the impact of a “pre-existing fire on a building containing solar products—the arrangement of a solar product on a building may affect the impact of a pre-existing fire by impacting the solar product’s reaction to a fire and impacting the ability of firefighters to combat the fire. Product standards, building codes and training of firefighters are used to address these concerns.” The association stated that while the presence of solar products “may influence the methods used to combat a fire,” the concerns can be addressed by using “product standards, building codes and training of firefighters.”
As to how the presence of solar panels impact the homeowner, local insurance agent Carrie Polk told TheBayNet.com that “different [insurance] companies have different policies.” When a fire damages a house insurance companies are required to conduct a reconstruction cost assessment. “You’ve got to look at the cause,” said Polk. “What was the cause?” Homeowners should report the presence of solar panels to their agents. Polk, who is affiliated with Nationwide, said having solar panels on a house will not increase your premium.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, residential solar energy installations are typically covered as part of a standard homeowners’ policy.
Read the NFPA’s complete report on firefighting and solar panels by clicking here.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com