Solar panels blamed for school roof fires raising fears over Ed Miliband's plans to install hundreds more

Solar panels have been blamed for school roof fires, raising further fears over Ed Miliband's plans to install hundreds more.

Three separate blazes in less than a year have led to officials disconnecting 80 of the systems on classrooms across Suffolk.

Last summer, an additional 81 solar panels were also switched off in Northumberland after a fire at a primary school.

Shropshire and Nottinghamshire also experienced similar incidents last year, with London suffering the same in 2024.

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Mr Miliband's Great British Energy have invested up to £255million to install rooftop solar PV and batteries on around 250 schools, colleges, NHS sites, and military bases

The scheme has been criticised for its costs while failing to deliver results for national energy security.

Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice said: "This is yet another example of why the Government's mad rush to meet net zero must never come at the expense of common sense.

"If Ed Miliband insists on rolling out solar panels across hundreds more schools, parents deserve reassurance that rigorous safety checks have been carried out. This cannot happen again."

Pepe Di'Iasio, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told the Daily Mail: "From asbestos to RAAC, school leaders know only too well the dangers that can be caused when unsuitable materials or practices are used in the construction of buildings.

"Nobody should have cause to feel unsafe at school, and we would welcome more work being done to establish the cause of these fires and ensure no pupils or staff are being put at risk."

In the most recent incident, a rooftop solar panel caused a roof fire at Sidegate Lane Primary School, with around 650 pupils and 100 staff members being evacuated after a report of a smell of smoke.

The incident occurred in Ipswich on June 24 2026, triggering a major safety scare and a full evacuation.

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A full investigation was not required "as it has been confirmed beyond reasonable doubt that the cause was a solar panel on the roof".

Brooklands Primary School in Brantham and East Bergholt Primary School have both suffered similar incidents, with solar panels causing fires.

Suffolk County Council then confirmed it would temporarily switch off all systems installed in schools between 2011 and 2016.

Northumberland authorities have also taken action to address the growing issue following a fire at Shanklea Primary School in Cramlington last July.

They unplugged systems installed before 2019 on buildings as a precaution, including 81 schools.

A spokesman for the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said: "Fire and rescue services take any emerging fire risk seriously, and as the use of technologies such as solar panels continues to grow, it is important they are installed, maintained and managed safely."

Mr Miliband's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) doubled down on claims that solar panels installed as part of the recent Great British Energy programme were not to blame for the blazes.

A spokesman said: "The risk of fire from solar panels is very low, much lower than household appliances such as cookers. Safety is our top priority and we work closely with industry to ensure solar panels meet the highest standards."

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