The Sunbank solar farm fire that began burning two weeks ago in Summerside, P.E.I., has finally been extinguished. The battery fire began on Sept. 7 and was quickly contained, though it triggered a voluntary shelter-in-place notice and school closures. The Summerside Fire Department continued to monitor the scene, as battery fires can take a long time to fully extinguish. Officials say the site transitioned from an emergency response into a recovery and operational phase on Monday morning. The fire has been declared as being out and crews have cleared the scene. “City officials will now work with the PEI Fire Marshal’s Office, specialized technical experts and insurance providers to assess the affected infrastructure, investigate the cause of the fire, and determine the appropriate remediation work required,” reads an update from Summerside Police Services. Police say solar generation will return following necessary inspections and procedures. Additional water and soil testing will continue. The province says already completed air quality tests have shown no evidence of a health risk from the fire and drinking water in the area is safe to drink. For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
