OVHcloud data centre fire destroys SBG2 in Strasbourg

What happened

At about 00:40 on 10 March 2021 a fire broke out in the power supply room of the SBG2 data centre on the OVHcloud site in Strasbourg. Firefighters reported electrical arcs, and power could not be isolated promptly, which the reporting links to the fire spreading. The building and about 30,000 servers were destroyed, and the adjacent SBG1 was terminally damaged. No one was hurt. A second, smaller fire later affected the battery room of SBG1.

Contributing factors

Reporting of the firefighter and industrial-risk investigations notes high moisture readings near an inverter before the fire, recent maintenance on a UPS, a wooden ceiling and floors, uninsulated electrical ducts, and power that remained live after isolation attempts, including automatic start of backup generators. The fire was apparently not impeded by sprinklers or other suppression, and the free-cooling airflow is described as having acted like a chimney once the fire was established. The exact ignition source has not been confirmed in the available reporting.

Lessons learned

1. Data centre designs that use natural ventilation need fire-stop measures so airflow does not accelerate fire spread.
2. Power isolation and backup-generator controls need to allow a rapid, reliable shutdown during an electrical fire.
3. Fire compartmentation and suppression should be checked against the actual materials and layout, not assumed performance.

Source

datacenterdynamics.com