Mobile operator Vodacom has ruled out solar panels as the cause of the fire that razed its offices in Cape Town last month.
After the fire broke out, speculation was rife that the fire may have been caused by the solar panels on the building’s rooftop.
At the time, Vodacom said it was still investigating the cause of the inferno.
Pictures shared by eyewitnesses on Twitter showed the fire torching through parts of the building, and firefighters tackling the blaze, which appeared to have started on the roof, which is covered in solar panels.
In a statement today, the telco dismissed the speculation about the solar panels, saying an electrical fault was the cause.
However, it says investigations are still ongoing.
Says the telco: “It is regrettable that the early speculation concerning the fire that broke out at our offices in Century City on 9 July, pointed to the solar panels on the roof being the primary cause of the blaze.
“This speculation has unfairly cast a bad light on solar energy technology. Whilst we are busy finalising the investigation, we felt it prudent to place on record that the preliminary report by the forensic team has ruled out solar technology being the cause of the fire and that it was an electrical fault instead. Once the report is finalised, we will issue an updated statement in due course.”