The Seattle Fire Department says its investigation has determined Friday’s fire atop the Holiday Apartments “originated” in the solar power system atop the four-story building at 10th and John.

CHS reported here as firefighters struggled to extinguish the blaze and black smoke billowed above Capitol Hill Friday afternoon.

SFD did not say how the panels caught fire but photovoltaic systems can fail under extreme conditions or when there are other factors like faulty wiring or component defects.

Temperatures were in the high to mid-70s when the fire began.

Damage was limited to the roof and did not extend into the interior of the affordable apartment building. Community Roots Housing has not replied to our inquiry about the status of the building and its solar power system.

Community Roots installed the solar panels about ten years ago under the state’s Renewable Energy Cost Recovery Incentive Payment Program that provided Seattle City Light ratepayers who invested in the project with credits on their electric bills. Around 1,200 solar panel units were available to invest in at around $150 each under the program.

Through the incentive program, the state was to pay a credit on the ratepayers electric bills through the summer of 2020 when Community Roots was to take ownership of the system with the solar energy collected going to support Holiday’s power use.

Seattle Fire did not provide a damage estimate for Friday’s fire.

UPDATE: A spokesperson provided an update on the status of the building’s solar energy system.

“The Holiday’s solar installation is currently disconnected from power and offline, as well as tarped to ensure further problems don’t ensue. We’ve worked with both Seattle Fire Department and Seattle City Light—there is no structural damage to the Holiday as a result of the fire, and the building is safe,” the spokesperson tells CHS. “We’ll be working with the original installer of the array this week to investigate and help determine the plan for repairs to the solar installation itself.”

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