More than 2000 people evacuated from Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre as a result of roof fire

More than 2500 people, including children competing in a swimming carnival, have been evacuated from the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre after solar panels on its roof caught fire.

Six fire trucks and 24 Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters were called to the building at 12.15pm today after reports of black smoke coming from the building.

Crews used a ladder platform to attack the flames on the roof of the facility and contained the blaze within 45 minutes.

Children attending the NSW Combined High School swimming carnival were among those forced to evacuate the facility, with many still in their swimsuits.

All people within the Centre were safely evacuated with no reported injuries.

With the Centre now closed, Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (SOPAC) advised on social media “we thank all of our patrons and staff for their patience and cooperation during this time.”

The swimming carnival was to run over three days with a large number of students travelling from regional NSW to participate.

The solar photovoltaic panel system on SOPAC’s roof was installed in 2021 as part of a Sydney Olympic Park Authority project to install solar arrays on buildings across the precinct. SOPAC’s panels generate about 1.4MW per year.

In October 2013, a large grass fire ripped through the Centre's carpark, destroying more than 40 cars, one motorcycle and forcing 1,500 people to evacuate.

Investigations are underway to determine the cause of today’s fire.

Image and video: Fire damage to the solar panels on the roof of the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. Credit: Fire and Rescue NSW.