Fire Damage Assessment

Salas O’Brien assessed fire-related damage at a large commercial distribution warehouse totaling over 533,000 square feet. The fire originated in a rooftop solar panel array at one end of the facility. The blaze severely damaged the thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roofing membrane , underlying insulation in the affected area, and a large portion of the PV array.

Our team provided forensic engineering evaluations for the electrical, mechanical, and structural systems. Following thorough site inspection, moisture survey, and equipment testing, we determined that TPO roofing, insulation, and a portion of the steel roof deck in the vicinity of the fire required replacement.

We proposed that replacement materials could be tied into existing roofing elements at logical breaks in the roof.  The steel structure below the roof did not sustain damage. We determined that a large portion of the solar array, including the PV modules, racking, wiring, and connectors, required replacement. We proposed that new PV modules could be wired into existing inverters which were not damaged by the fire.