A fire broke out at a data center used by Elon Musk’s platform, X, in Hillsboro, Oregon, reportedly due to an electrical or mechanical issue with a power system. Data center fires are rare, but when they happen, they can cause significant disruptions. This time, the fire was linked to a Schneider Electric Galaxy VX uninterruptible power supply (UPS) cabinet. UPS systems are meant to provide consistent power during outages, but they can fail like anything else. Here’s what this really means: data centers are under increasing pressure from the growing demand for AI technologies, which need more power and cooling. This extra load raises the risk of overheating and, you guessed it, fires.
Initially, lithium-ion batteries were suspected in the fire. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this circus—batteries often get the blame. However, it turned out the fire wasn’t caused by them. The UPS itself was likely the culprit, a reminder that even high-tech solutions aren’t immune to failure.
Fire investigators couldn’t pinpoint a specific cause but suspect an electrical or mechanical failure within the UPS. It’s a complex system, and when things go wrong, it’s usually not as simple as flipping a switch back on.
Digital Realty, which operates the data center, confirmed the fire was electrical and not due to lithium-ion batteries. They’ve supposedly made improvements to prevent future issues, but specifics are scarce. No word from Schneider Electric or xAI, which owns X, on the incident.
Here’s the takeaway for anyone paying attention: as data centers scale up to handle more AI-driven demands, they’ll face new risks. Fires might be rare, but with increasing electrical loads and complex systems, the potential for disaster is there. Investors and operators need to be vigilant about infrastructure and risk management. Otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before the next blaze makes headlines.
