Firefighters in Contra Costa County, California, extinguished a blaze on the roof of an Office Depot in Antioch on Sunday afternoon. The 1-alarm fire, reported at 11:48 a.m., burned multiple solar panels on the roof of the business located at 5885 Lone Tree Way, resulting in substantial damage.
Captain George Laing of Con Fire reported that the office supply store would remain closed until repairs could be made. Out of caution, both Office Depot and the nearby PetSmart were evacuated. No injuries were reported.
The firefighters had the fire under control by 12:12 p.m. However, Captain Laing pointed out the challenges and threats faced by firefighters when dealing with solar panel fires, as the panels continue to generate electricity even after the power has been shut off.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.