Held in need: residents saves house from fire through the PV system!

Held in need: residents saves house from fire through the PV system!

On Tuesday morning, May 27, there was a fire in Görisried on a photovoltaic system that was probably triggered by a technical defect. An attentive house resident recognized the fire and prevented spreading to other parts of the building by quick intervention. Thanks to its action skills and the rapid reaction of the emergency services, the fire was quickly brought under control. A total of around 50 firefighters from surrounding fire departments were on site to master the situation.

The fire brigade worked together with the owner and an electrician on the dismantling of the affected photovoltaic panels. Parts of the system and the underlying roof construction had to be removed to remove possible embers. According to projections, the property damage in this case is around 5,000 euros. The use lasted about two hours, while the areas were deleted with several CO₂ extinguishers in order to finally suffocate the fire.

causes of fire in photovoltaic systems

The obvious danger that comes from technical defects in photovoltaic systems should not be underestimated. Reports about major fires from defective systems come not only from Görisried, but also from other parts of Germany, such as Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems identifies three main causes for fires: defects, dirty or dilapidated components, planning errors and installation errors. This problem is important, especially since around 3.3 million photovoltaic roof systems are in operation in Germany.

statistics show that photovoltaic systems do not represent significantly increased risk of fire. In fact, the proportion of building fires caused by solar systems is only 0.006 percent. Nevertheless, a profound understanding of the causes of fire is crucial for effective prevention measures. Electrical defects, such as incorrect cables and compounds, are common triggers of fires in PV systems.

recommendations for homeowners

In order to minimize the risk of fires, professional installation and maintenance of the PV system is essential. Homeowners should pay particular attention to the quality of the components used. Studies show that planning, production or installation errors are the cause in 90 percent of PV fires. It is therefore important to rely on professional construction that corresponds to the security standards.

In practice, the presence of photovoltaic systems can make the fire department's extinguishing work difficult because they could act like a “second roof skin”. However, firefighters are well trained in dealing with electrical systems, and regular security measures are usually sufficient to control the dangers. Toxic vapors from damaged PV modules can arise, but the danger potential of other fire gases is higher.

The fire in Görisried illustrates the need for regular inspection of photovoltaic systems. An early detection of defects can help to avoid serious damage and dangers. Experts recommend that owners of solar energy systems should always pay attention to the proper installation and maintenance of their systems in order to maximize the safety level.

For more information about the causes of fire and their prevention in connection with photovoltaic systems, you can do the articles on Merkur , Schwäbische and Solarenergie.de Read.