Fire and Rescue NSW crews have extinguished a blaze that broke out inside a caravan on Second Street, Cardiff South just before 12:30pm this afternoon (Friday 8 January).
Firefighters from Charlestown and Cardiff Fire Stations arrived a short time later to find a large amount of smoke issuing from inside the caravan.
They managed to quickly extinguish the blaze and prevent further damage to the van, thankfully no one was inside at the time of the incident.
Initial investigations suggest the fire occurred due to an electrical fault in a solar panel wiring system within the caravan.
Superintendent Graham Kingsland from the Fire Investigation and Research Unit said it was important to take steps to ensure solar panels were as safe as possible.
“Over the last five years we have seen solar panel related fires increase five-fold. It is not uncommon to see solar panels cause house and building fires,” he said.
“By ensuring solar panels are installed by a licensed installer, and are well maintained by a professional, you can prevent a tragedy.”
For more information on solar panel safety, visit the Fair Trading website.
