Overview
- The roof fire at Sidegate Primary in Ipswich, which broke out on June 24, prompted an immediate evacuation and all pupils were safely reunited with parents.
- Suffolk Fire and Rescue sent multiple appliances to the scene and early on-scene findings identified a rooftop solar panel as the likely source of the blaze.
- Suffolk County Council has ordered panels installed under its 2011–2016 scheme to be switched off and will send engineers to isolate systems at about 80 schools over the next two weeks.
- The precaution follows two earlier Suffolk school fires where solar panels were noted as a possible factor at East Bergholt in August 2025 and at Brooklands on April 4, 2026.
- Council leaders say most schools can remain open during the isolation work but some classes remain closed at Sidegate and parents have praised staff for the evacuation; the county and partners will continue technical checks to decide any further action.