Solar panel fire damages Twin Cities home

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]You went six. A family fortunate making escape once flames started shooting out of their rooftop solar panel. Solar panel fires are rare, but Jason Rantala learned that there is one way they can spark danger.

[00:00:12]Say there is now active flames beneath the solar panel on the roof. Those flames on the Savage home's rooftop Tuesday afternoon. A blue tarp now covers the damage.

[00:00:22]>> The homeowner is on the roof with the fire extinguisher trying to put out the flames. My understanding is the homeowner that made the discovery um and he also made some initial attempts to suppress that fire. Savage Fire Chief Jeremy Bresnahan >> We have heard of solar panel fires in the fire service. Says they're still working to officially determine that solar panels were the cause. The US Department of Energy says solar systems spontaneously bursting into flames is extremely rare, but design flaws, component defects, and faulty installation can cause a rooftop solar system to start a fire. The picture itself is scary.

[00:00:58]And anybody with solar may be looking at it going uh you know, have some uncertainty.

[00:01:03]Martin Morud runs True North Solar. It can happen and it does happen.

[00:01:08]Uh but it's extremely rare uh to to see a fire like this. He says the panels themselves aren't electrically active. There would have to be something say with the wiring that would spark a fire.

[00:01:19]He says anyone with concerns should ask their installer for a QA/QC, a quality assurance quality control checklist.

[00:01:27]That checklist assures that solar install followed proper standards and protocols. Solar is incredibly safe when it's installed by solar professionals who have been through all the training, you know, and and favor quality over speed.

[00:01:39]>> I truly believe that solar panels are safe. I think this is a localized incident and one that needs to be further investigated. In Savage, Jason Rantala, WCCO News.

[00:01:49]No one was hurt in that Savage fire.