Six fire engines and around 40 firefighters tackled a house fire on Garth Road in Cricklewood.
A small part of the ground floor and the roof of an end-of-terrace house was damaged by fire. A detached outbuilding was destroyed by the blaze. There were no reports of any injuries.
Station Commander Steve Pringle, who was at the scene, said: “Firefighters used one of the Brigade’s 32-metre turntable ladders to deploy PV Stop on to solar panels on the roof of the property.”
Incidents involving solar panels are especially dangerous as it’s difficult to isolate the electrical current they generate if they are damaged or involved in a fire. When tackling fire involving solar panels, crews run the risk of receiving electric shocks as the current can travel down water jets and hoses. PVStop works by blocking the sunlight that powers solar panels, so the process of converting light into electricity is stopped. The panels are then de-energised and the risk of electrocution is greatly reduced so crews can get closer and prevent fire spreading from a roof to the rest of the building.
The Brigade’s 999 Control Officers took 16 calls to the blaze.
The Brigade was called at 1317 and the fire was under control by 1507. Fire crews from West Hampstead, Mill Hill, Park Royal and Holloway fire stations attended the scene.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by resistive heating in an extension lead.
Firefighters’ top tips for electrical device safety
- Try to keep to one plug per socket, especially for high powered appliances like washing machines.
- Always check that you’re using the right fuse.
- Be lead safety savvy – cable drum extension leads should always be completely unwound to avoid overheating, and be careful not to overload extension leads.
- Always make sure electrical appliances have a British or European safety mark when you buy them.
- Keep electrical appliances clean and in good working order.
- Don’t buy cheap counterfeit chargers for items that use lithium batteries, and never leave phones or laptops plugged in to charge overnight
