Solar Panels Start Duluth House Fire
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Solar panels caused a house fire in Duluth on Wednesday resulting in $40,000 worth of damage to the home.
According to police reports, around 2:02 p.m. the Duluth Fire Department responded to a structure fire in a single-family home located on the 2200 block of West sixth Street.
Authorities say a person driving by the home noticed smoke coming from the roof and called 911. When first responders arrived they helped the homeowner and her dog evacuate the building.
Fire crews accessed the attic where they reportedly found "charred wood, dripping tar, and smoke."
They determined that the fire was coming from an area of the roof where a solar panel was located. The panels were de-energized and removed from the roof as salvage was conducted to prevent water damage to the second floor.
DFD determined the solar panels to be the cause of the fire and the Duluth Fire Marshal's Office determined it to be an accident.