At around 11am this morning, the City’s Fire and Rescue Department was alerted to a fire at the Vodacom building located on Century City Boulevard. According to Alderman JP Smith, as the first teams arrived at the scene, they discovered that the solar panels installed on the roof had ignited the blaze.
Alderman Smith reported that this incident adds to a series of fires caused by alternative energy installations as both the corporate and residential sectors struggle to minimise the impact of widespread rolling blackouts.
Also read: Rooftop of Cape Town’s Vodacom Head Office building is on fire
He stated that, ironically, just a week ago, the City issued a warning advising on the associated risks.
Alderman Smith said that it is strongly recommended that those who have already adopted alternative energy solutions have their systems regularly inspected for any signs of electrical fatigue or mechanical breakdown.
He said that in addition, it is worth considering additional preventive measures and fail-safe components, despite the potential increase in the initial installation cost.
The utilisation of thicker-diameter cables is also reportedly advisable to minimise resistance and prevent heat accumulation.
‘The maximum ratings of components, including those of inverters, batteries, solar panels and all connecting components, should be carefully considered. All components within the system must be measured and calculated as part of a holistic solution and not exceed the maximum ratings of any other component within the solution,’ Alderman Smith concluded.
Picture: JP Smith / Facebook