DRIVERS have been urged to avoid a Bar Beach street after a solar panel fire on Wednesday morning.
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Firefighters and police were called to Wrightson Avenue at Bar Beach, just off Memorial Drive, shortly before 9am amid reports of a fire.
Crews have extinguished the blaze but remain on scene.
Traffic is obstructed and urged to avoid the area.
The property suffered no structural damage.
Fire and Rescue NSW earlier this year pointed to a Hunter house fire as part of a rising trend in blazes related to solar panels.
Superintendent Graham Kingsland from the Fire Investigation and Research Unit said blazes linked to solar panels had increased "five-fold" since 2015.
"It is not uncommon to see solar panels cause house and building fires," he said in August.
"By ensuring solar panels are installed by a licensed installer, and are well maintained by a professional, you can prevent a tragedy."
