Cedar City garage fire caused by overheating solar batteries, officials say

Scene of a structure fire involving an attached garage, Cedar City, Utah, July 28, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — Firefighters responded to a blaze that burned parts of a Cedar City home’s attached garage Wednesday afternoon.

Scene of a structure fire involving an attached garage, Cedar City, Utah, July 28, 2021 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The incident, which was reported to dispatch at approximately 1:30 p.m., took place at a residence on 450 West street, near 1200 South.

Cedar City Fire Chief Mike Phillips said a firefighting crew in a small squad truck were the first to arrive on scene.

“They made it there very quickly,” Phillips said, adding that the firefighters were able to rapidly knock down the flames before they spread to the main part of the residence.

Phillips said the fire is believed to have started inside the garage, where a bank of batteries charged by solar panels overheated.

No injuries were reported. The damage was estimated at approximately $30,000, the chief added. Additionally, as the damage was largely confined to the garage area, Phillips said the residents of the home were not displaced by the fire.

This report is based on information provided by fire officials or other responders and may not contain the full scope of findings.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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