June 17, 2023
Ontario

Lightning strike likely caused wind turbine fire: company

Trevor Terfloth | Published Jun 16, 2023 | chathamdailynews.ca

Fire crews from Station 10 Orford responded to 20275 Duart Rd. for a wind turbine fire Thursday at 7:15 p.m. Fire crews arrived on scene and secured the area, officials said. No injuries were reported. (Supplied)

Lightning likely sparked a wind turbine fire in Muirkirk, east of Chatham, Thursday night, a company official says.

Fire crews from Station 10 Orford responded to 20275 Duart Rd. at 7:15 p.m. and secured the area. No injuries were reported and the cause was undetermined, fire officials said in a release Thursday night.

The fire struck Tower 2 at the Gesner wind farm, said Saturn Power chief executive Doug Wagner.

“The probable cause of this fire is believed to be a lightning strike. This incident resulted in the fiberglass nacelle on the tower igniting,” he said in a release Friday.

“Members of the local fire department were on scene to monitor the situation and ensure the fire was contained to Tower 2, departing once the situation was under control and the fire was extinguished.

“Fortunately, our dedicated wind technicians were not on site at the time . . . and there were no injuries.”

“At this time, we have no additional details and there are no estimates on damage,” the release added, adding the company won’t comment further pending a “thorough investigation and assessment.”

Saturn Power is an independent power producer based in Baden, in Waterloo region.

According to company’s website, it has offices in Turkey and the U.S., and engineers, owns and operates solar, wind and energy storage projects worldwide.

[rest of article available at source]


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2023/06/17/lightning-strike-likely-caused-wind-turbine-fire-company/