The Importance of Qualified Installers
posted December 5, 2009Kern County Fire Department Press Release
To: All Media
Contact: Public Information Officer
Subject: 2 Alarm Fire at Target
BAKERSFIELD, CA - Sunday April 5th 2009 at approximately 4:15 P.M., a call was received by the Kern County Fire Department for a commercial structure fire at Target on Rosedale Highway in Bakersfield. Approximately 22 Kern County and Bakersfield City Firefighters responded to the incident.
Upon arrival, fire crews were faced with a large column of thick black smoke coming from the roof area of Target. A second alarm was requested upon arrival of the 1st crew on scene. The crew made an immediate contact with the store's manager to determine if all of the employees and customers had evacuated the building. Crews then entered the building and made a systematic search to confirm that employees and customers had evacuated.
A ladder truck was set up to access the roof area and determine what the black smoke was and where it was coming from. Crews found that a row of Solar Panels on the roof had caught fire. Due to these panels still being energized with electricity, crews took precautions until they could be de-energized. After de-energizing the panels, crews found that some of the roof insulation had also caught fire. A small amount of water was then used while crews peeled back this affected area. Upon further investigation crews found that one of four pieces of conduit containing electrical supply lines, for a group of panels, had arced from an unknown electrical problem.
The loss to the Solar Panels, roof, wiring and contents is unknown at this time. There were no reported injuries to firefighters, Target employees or customers.
The cause is still under investigation.
If you have any questions, please contact the Public Information Officer at (661) 330-0133.
For further updates visit www.kerncountyfire.org
Kern County Fire Department
Office of Public Information
5642 Victor Street
Bakersfield, CA 93308
Kerncountyfire.org
