Tag: fire risks

Safety fears raised over plug-in solar

Plug-in solar panels could pose fire risks, create safety hazards and undermine confidence in the energy transition unless ministers slow down plans for a rapid rollout, some of the UK’s biggest electrical safety bodies have warned.

From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

By Paul Homewood

From Energy Live News:

Plug-in solar panels could pose fire risks, create safety hazards and undermine confidence in the energy transition unless ministers slow down plans for a rapid rollout, some of the UK’s biggest electrical safety bodies have warned.

In an unusually united intervention, the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), Electrical Safety First (ESF), the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), NICEIC and SELECT have urged the government to proceed with caution before allowing plug-in solar PV units onto the mass market.

The organisations said they support wider access to cheap clean energy but warned public safety must come first.

They argue there are serious unanswered questions around electrical safety, product standards, grid resilience, insurance liability and consumer protection.

At the heart of the concern is the fact that plug-in solar units do far more than power an appliance. Unlike a kettle or television, the devices generate electricity and feed it back into a home’s electrical system, creating two-way power flows that many existing domestic installations were never designed to handle.

Industry experts warned this could affect the operation of key safety devices such as residual current devices (RCDs), potentially compromising electrical protection systems within the home.

The groups said more than 50% of housing stock is more than 100 years old, raising concerns that ageing wiring could struggle to cope with additional electrical loads.

Without proper assessment, they warned plug-in solar systems could increase the risk of overheating and fire, particularly if consumers connect multiple units or use extension leads and adaptors.

Full story here.

It is worth remembering that Miliband’s decision to roll these plug-in panels out did not make them legal – they already were. It was to allow them to be installed without a qualified electrician.

Which is precisely why the electrical standards people are ringing the alarm bells now.

Germany: Electric Car Catches Fire at Charging Station, Sets Off Local “Inferno”, Widespread Damage

The article from Blackout News here reports on how a severe fire was triggered by an electric car at a charging station in Schwaigern (Baden-Württemberg) on February 16, 2026.

https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/heilbronn/elektroauto-brand-schwaigern-kettenreaktion-wohnmobil-explosion-100.html?mediaId=c2fa1a5a-1346-371f-8a36-3a98799506e5&

From No Trick Zone

By P Gosselin

The article from Blackout News here reports on how a severe fire was triggered by an electric car at a charging station in Schwaigern (Baden-Württemberg) on February 16, 2026.

Symbol image generated by Grok AI: Electric car on fire at a charging station. 

Avoid parking next to electric cars

Blackout News reports that an electric car connected to a public charging station caught fire on Monday morning and the fire quickly spread to a motorhome parked next to it. Since the motorhome contained gas cylinders, the intense heat triggered several explosions!

Multiple other cars in the immediate vicinity were damaged by the flames and heat. Two buildings were damaged as well -one directly adjacent residential house and a building on the opposite side of the street. Property damage was estimated to be in the mid-six-figure range. The report describes a local “inferno”.

According to Blackout News, extinguishing the fire proved difficult due to the burning EV battery, which required continuous cooling to prevent reignition.

Electric cars are notorious fire risks, banned in some parking garages, ferry lines

It’s little wonder that some ferry companies and parking garage operators have introduced bans or restrictions on electric vehicles (EVs). The primary reason cited is fire safety as electric vehicle battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish once they start, especially in confined spaces like ship decks or underground garages.

Several shipping companies have made headlines by banning or restricting EVs: In 2023, Havila Kystruten (Norway) shipping line made the high-profile decision to ban electric, hybrid, and hydrogen cars from its coastal ferries. They argued that their onboard firefighting systems were not equipped to handle a battery fire and that such an event could endanger the ship and passengers.

Since April 2024, the Greek Shipping Ministry has implemented a regulation for many ferries where EVs and plug-in hybrids are only allowed on board if their battery charge is 40% or lower. This is to reduce the risk of “thermal runaway.”

Alaska Marine Lines recently introduced a ban on EVs and plug-in hybrids on its vessels, citing the lack of specialized firefighting equipment at sea.

BC Ferries (Canada) recently introduced a policy prohibiting non-operational (towed/broken-down) EVs from boarding, due to the inability to verify if the battery has been damaged (which increases fire risk).

Parking garages

In 2024, the UK Parliament banned EVs from its underground parking facilities as a “precautionary measure” following a fire safety assessment.

At various times, small numbers of parking garage operators in Germany (e.g., in Kulmbach or Leonberg) made headlines for banning EVs after local fire incidents. However, many of these bans were later lifted or challenged because modern building codes and fire department equipment have evolved to handle such risks.

Instead of a full ban, many newer garages now require EVs to park in specific “monitored” zones near exits to allow easier access for emergency services.

Hotter, difficult to extinguish

The risk is that lithium-ion battery fires burn much hotter than gasoline fires. And when they are on fire, they release toxic fumes (like hydrogen fluoride) that are dangerous in enclosed spaces. Moreover, an EV battery can appear to be extinguished but reignites hours or even days later, which is particularly dangerous on a ship in the middle of the ocean.

https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/heilbronn/elektroauto-brand-schwaigern-kettenreaktion-wohnmobil-explosion-100.html?mediaId=c2fa1a5a-1346-371f-8a36-3a98799506e5&