Lithium ion battery fire in the Villas sparks solar panel safety concerns

A fire at a battery supply bank in a house in The Villas served as a wake-up call about the potential risks of solar energy systems.

The bank, which stored energy for a rooftop solar panel system, caught fire on April 30; however, the house itself remained undamaged thanks to the quick response of the South Trail Fire Department.

WINK News reporter Sommer Senne spoke with local solar panel installation companies to understand the risks and precautions for homeowners considering solar panels and battery backups, especially with hurricane season in mind.

Adam Tourlakes, service manager at Solar Energy Solutions of America, explained that fires are infrequent if the installation is done professionally.

"The only way that that could happen is two things. One, a homeowner takes a harpoon gun and shoots it through the battery pack, which destroys the protective outer casing, the protective inner casing, and then the battery pack itself. You puncture that battery, and you're going to have some problems. That's one of the only ways. The other way, which is the most likely way, is that it was installed improperly," said Tourlakes.

Dominick Zito, co-founder of Florida Solar Design Group, also emphasized the importance of professional installation.

"The product makes a big difference, and the other part is just people thinking they can install it. So getting a homeowner permit, pulling that and somebody thinking, 'Oh, I can change a light bulb, so I can install a solar system' or 'I read a YouTube video, so I'm good to go.' There are a lot of issues with that," said Zito.

While the cause of the fire remains unknown, Chief Nate Burley of the South Trail Fire & Rescue District described the scene firefighters encountered.

"When our firefighters were on scene, several of these battery packs were going into thermal runaway, where these batteries will just explode. There are hundreds of batteries. What it looked like from this picture that I saw is that they were exploding when the firefighters got on the scene," said Burley.

Burley explained that the intensity of the fire delayed the initial response.

"It really does create a hazard. We do have to take a step back, similar to when there's an EV fire, because they require copious amounts of water. We were fortunate with this fire because it was right down the road from a fire station. The crew was able to get there within a minute, and they were able to get water on it quickly. It does take a lot more water to put these fires out," said Burley.

The South Trail Fire District advised solar panel owners to check their manufacturer's safety checklist regularly.

This includes ensuring the solar panels function properly and that battery backups aren’t emitting any unusual smells.

Experts advise that if you are considering solar panels for your home, ensure you hire a qualified solar panel expert, not just an electrician. Informing your local fire department about your solar power setup is also crucial so they can respond effectively in case of a fire.

The lithium-ion batteries used in solar panel systems differ from those in cars or phones, making them safer.

South Trail Fire District's Public Information Officer, Amy Bollen, provided tips on battery usage to enhance safety for lithium-ion batteries in phones, cars and power drills.

"Once you reach 100%, take it off the charger. So you should never leave them continually charging 100% of the time and only taking it off the charger when you're using it, and then putting it back on," said Bollen.

She also advised storing batteries in cool places, away from direct heat or sunlight and only using manufacturer-approved batteries and chargers.