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Europe Today
Euronews' flagship morning TV show with the news and insights that drive Europe, live from Brussels every morning at 08.00. Also available as a newsletter and podcast.
The Ring
The Ring is Euronews’ weekly political showdown, where Europe’s toughest debates meet their boldest voices. In each episode, two political heavyweights from across the EU face off to propose a diversity of opinions and spark conversations around the most important issues of EU affairs and the wider European political life.
No Comment
No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary.
My Wildest Prediction
Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries
The Big Question
Deep dive conversations with business leaders
Euronews Tech Talks
Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.
The Food Detectives
Europe's best food experts are joining forces to crack down on fraud. Euronews is following them in this special series: The Food Detectives
Water Matters
Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate – find out why Water Matters, from Euronews.
Climate Now
We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt.
Solar panels have been named as the ‘likely’ cause of a recent fire that completely destroyed a mental health hospital ward.
The Springwood unit at Malton Hospital, located in North Yorkshire, England, was set ablaze on 8 July. Local fire and rescue services say the building was “fully engulfed” when crews arrived.
All 15 patients were safely evacuated from the unit, and no injuries were reported. A full report into the blaze is expected in the coming weeks.
The fire follows three similar incidents at primary schools in England over the last 12 months, which have all been blamed on solar panels. This led to around 80 schools in the county of Suffolk switching off their solar panels as a precautionary measure.
The council says the primary school fires were all believed to have had different causes rather than a common fault with the panels.
However, it still casts a light on the potential dangers of installing rooftop solar on public buildings and residential homes.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, which are individual solar cells that convert sunlight into power, have become the most competitive source of electricity in many parts of the EU.
According to Eurostat data, 47.5 per cent of the EU’s electricity consumption came from renewables in 2024, and solar PV accounted for almost a quarter of that (23.4 per cent).
The sheer boom in solar panels has increased the number of fire incidents and subsequent media attention around them. However, the per-system risk remains extremely low.
Data from Dutch research institute TNO reported that, between 2015 and 2018, only 27 fires on buildings with PV occurred in the Netherlands – with residential buildings accounting for 23 of the fires.
With 170,000 new PV systems installed on residential buildings in 2018, this represents less than 0.014 per cent of homes with solar panels.
Between 1993 and 2013, German research institute Fraunhofer ISE reported that 0.006 per cent of PV installations caused a fire with major damage. Of Germany’s total 1.3 million solar PV installations in 2013, 350 were involved in fires, while 120 were attributed to the actual cause of the blaze.
But data on solar-related fires remains sparse.
A study published last month in the journal Science Direct analysed national statistics from four European countries. It found that the number of incidents per 100,000 installations was found to be approximately 5-22 for the UK, Italy and Sweden, compared with 75 in Slovenia.
“These differences are likely influenced by variations in data collection methods and inclusion criteria across the countries,” the report says.
Researchers found that about 68 per cent of fires remained confined to the PV equipment, while 24 per cent caused damage to adjacent surfaces – such as the roof. In five per cent of cases, significant fire spread occurred, while buildings being completely destroyed only accounted for three per cent of fires.
The European Commission says that solar panel fires occur at a rate “significantly lower” than that of many common household appliances.
“When issues do arise, they are typically linked to poor installation or faulty components, not the solar technology itself,” the bloc adds.
Across Europe, strong safeguards are in place to keep solar installations safe. This includes making sure that all panels (whether they’re imported or produced in the EU) meet strict technical requirements.
“To ensure systems are installed properly, EU countries must have certification schemes (or equivalents) for solar photovoltaic installers and designers, as required by the Renewables Directive,” the Commission adds.
“These schemes include training programmes and public lists of certified installers.”
Any system that captures the energy of the sun is likely to have some level of fire risk. This is particularly true for installations that are ageing and poorly maintained.
To lower the risk of solar panel fires, only use accredited installers and do not attempt to attach panels to rooftops yourself. Wall-mounted inverters should also be bolted onto non-flammable surfaces and away from heavy debris or storage materials.
Homeowners should also have regular inspections, carried out by professionals, to check and service panels every couple of years. It is also worth inspecting your panels after extreme weather, such as strong winds, to make sure nothing has shifted.


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