Emergency crews remain at the scene of a battery fire that broke out at a solar farm on Labour Day in Summerside, P.E.I. They’re following directions from the manufacturer to manage the incident, including efforts to keep other battery banks as cool as possible. Summerside Police Services and the Summerside Fire Department first told residents and businesses along South Drive to shelter in place due to the fire around 7 a.m. Monday. The fire was contained by 9:30 a.m., but crews stayed to apply water to hot spots and monitor the site. Voluntary evacuation notice By Monday afternoon, residents within a roughly 500-metre radius of the scene were urged to evacuate the area. Police said the evacuation was issued “out of an abundance of caution” due to concerns surrounding smoke. Water and air testing is underway. “Trying to decide whether to stay or whether to go,” said Wendy Atkins, who lives in the area. “My daughter lives in Long River and she said just pack a bag and come if we have to.” “It’s a little bit scary, yeah,” said Jose Droiun, who also lives in the area. “Making sure our neighbours are aware what’s going on. We’re monitoring the situation so if we do have to evacuate, we’re ready to go.” A reception centre has opened at the St. Eleanors Community Centre on West Drive for affected residents. Shelter-in-place notice The shelter-in-place notice remains in effect Tuesday afternoon. Police say residents in the immediate area, including Bayview Drive, Seaweed Road and South Drive, as well as anyone in other areas experiencing a noticeable change in air quality, should: Closures Tuesday is the first day back to school for P.E.I. students, however, classes in the Three Oaks Family of Schools are cancelled due to the fire. Credit Union Place is also closed until further notice. Emergency officials say they will continue to monitor conditions and assess the situation. No significant change in conditions have been reported. The city-owned Summerside Sunbank Solar/Battery Farm opened in 2024 and has a capacity of 21.6 megawatts. With files from The Canadian Press and CTV News Atlantic’s Derek Haggett For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
