Are we next? Worried neighbours next to £600k new-build that caught fire 'and killed family cat' when 'overheating' solar panels exploded are terrified their homes are at risk

Published: 14:07, 29 May 2026 | Updated: 14:16, 29 May 2026 Neighbours of a house whose solar panels exploded have said they are terrified that it could happen to their homes. Earlier this week, the roof of a £600,000 new-build in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, burst into flames on Bank Holiday Monday - one of the hottest days of the year so far. And now their neighbours, who had to watch the family scramble to safety as they fled from the inferno, are worried their homes just metres away could share a similar fate.  Residents of Prospero Drive fear the eco-friendly fixtures, which adorn the roofs of the majority of houses in the neighbourhood, malfunctioned on the hottest day of the year. Amran, who heard about the fire while he was away in Milton Keynes for the weekend, told the Daily Mail: ‘You buy a new-build and you think everything’s going to be fine. ‘From what I’ve heard it might be faulty solar panels. It begs the question now, “are we all safe?”’ He added that it was part of the regulations for the new builds - which were constructed by David Wilson and Barratt Homes, part of Barratt Redrow - to have the panels installed. ‘Yes (we are worried) because we’ve got small kids. Shocking ring doorbell footage captured the moment solar panels on a £600,000 new-build home's roof burst into flames The four-bedroom detached property in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire was destroyed by the blaze ‘The fire alarm on ours kept going off (in the past) so we’ve had to call them out a few times but they couldn’t tell us what it was. ‘Other people have had the same problems. I’ve got a mate who I work with whose property was built by the same builders - and his fire alarm kept going off. ‘It’s worrying. How do you know none of these houses are faulty? You don’t. But that’s what you get with new builds. ‘If it overheats when it’s hot that’s not a great sign. You want the heat - to save money, not for your house to burn down.' Amran added: ‘They can’t live there. They’re going to have to knock it down. I would not move into that house if they didn’t completely knock it down.'  The family whose home set alight in the Bank Holiday fire appeared briefly within the cordoned off area to chat with contractors but declined to comment. Neighbours said they did not know the homeowners but one suggested their cat had died in the blaze. Michelle - who was there on the night - said: ‘We noticed everyone out on the street. ‘My friend was adamant he saw it starting from around the solar panels. There’s lots of speculation. ‘We’re all quite nervous whether it’s to do with the solar panels because we all have them fitted the same. ‘We would love to know the fire report and whether we need to turn ours off or not. There’s been nothing back. ‘The official line is there is no report so they’re not going to do anything. ‘We all want to know so we’re not putting ourselves at risk. Off-duty fireman Robert Shipman saw the smoke from his home nearby, went over and alerted the family ‘I am anxious because of the kids. Just because of the lack of communication. I mean, a house burns down in the street and no one thinks to contact the residents. ‘We don’t know and we would like to know. ‘I’ve got a three and four year old in the house and they’re really excited to see the fire engines. And I’m like there’s literally a house where they were sitting down in the living room with the roof on fire and they didn’t even know. ‘We do know in this development there have been issues in the roof area with the ventilation. I think there was a manufacturing area they haven’t sorted out. So I would be keen to know if it’s that or the solar panels. ‘There are vents going up into the loft so if there is a hot day you turn them on and they let all the air out. But they rattle around and it’s never been fixed. ‘There’s a double whammy of that and the solar panels.’ Another resident added they had brought down a hamper as a gift to the affected family. The road was completely blocked off as five fire crews scrambled to put out the blaze at about 10.30 am - with the temperature already hitting 22C - with several homes evacuated. There was further damage to the side of the next door neighbour’s house, which has also been cordoned off. At least four cars were damaged in the blaze as tiles fell off the roof and onto the vehicles.  Thankfully, nobody was injured in the explosion after an off-duty firefighter rescued three adults and one child from the four-bedroom detached house.  One neighbour who watched the property go up in flames had previously said the blaze 'happened so suddenly'.  'One minute the roof was smoking a little and the next it was a raging inferno,' they said. 'People around here are speculating the solar panels may have overheated but there's not much left of them. 'I was chatting to a fella who lives around here who fits solar panels and he said if they are not connected properly and then you get lots of sunny weather, it can cause a surge of power which can cause a fire. 'It's pretty scary because so many people have these things on their houses and with more heatwaves the worry is there'll be more fires as a result.'   Fireman Robert Shipman, who lives nearby, was doing DIY when he spotted the blaze.  Mr Shipman alerted the family to the explosion on their roof and, with two other off-duty firemen who lived nearby, helped evacuate neighbouring properties. He said: 'As I was coming round the corner I saw a big cloud of smoke. 'I banged on the door and said I'm an off-duty firefighter can you please get out of your house – it's on fire. 'The family didn't realise their roof had gone, they were on the first floor. They got out and we managed to get two of their pets out. 'We knocked on the next-door neighbour's door and said there's a fire, get out.' Five crews and an aerial appliance from Moulton worked to swiftly put out the blaze Having seen the footage of the roof instantly exploding, Mr Shipman said he had 'never seen anything like it'. 'You could see some really thick orange flames coming through the loft hatch,' he said. Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said at the time: 'Five crews and an aerial appliance from Moulton attended the fire and quickly worked to extinguish the blaze which had started in the roof of the house. 'Three adults and one child were helped from the house by an off-duty firefighter. 'After an initial fire investigation, the fire is believed to have been started accidentally.' The Fire Service have not ruled out the weather as a factor involved in causing the solar panels to explode.  This comes as the UK had one of the hottest May days ever amid a record-breaking 35C bank holiday heatwave. Northamptonshire Police this week said: 'Emergency services are at the scene of a major house fire in Wellingborough which started shortly before 10.45am on Monday. 'At least four fire appliances are at the scene of the blaze, at a detached new-build property in Prospero Drive. Nobody is believed to be inside the property. 'Police have closed a number of roads in the immediate area of the blaze which is also blowing smoke across the nearby A509. 'Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area and to close windows to prevent smoke getting inside.' David Wilson and Barrett's spokesperson said: 'Our priority is supporting the residents affected, meanwhile we will provide any assistance required to the Fire Service as it investigates the cause of the fire.'  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? 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