Fire reported at a Reliance Jio data centre during an India-wide network outage
Sept 2024Published 2 Oct 2026
What happened
On 17 September 2024, Reuters reported that a source with direct knowledge said a fire at a data centre of Reliance Jio caused a nationwide network outage for its users. Downdetector showed more than 10,000 user reports, with more than half relating to the mobile network and others to mobile internet or broadband. A Reliance Jio spokesperson said some users had problems that morning because of minor technical issues, which had been resolved, with services fully restored by 15:40 IST.
Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea told Reuters they had no similar disruptions. The data centre location and the equipment involved were not reported, and the operator did not confirm a fire.
Contributing factors
Not reported. The anonymous account of a fire and the operator's account of minor technical issues have not been reconciled.
Lessons learned
- A fault at one data centre can disrupt a national network, so operators should be able to move traffic away from a single site.
- Public statements should say clearly what is known and what is not, including whether a fire occurred.
- User outage reports can show the scale of impact while the cause is still unconfirmed.
Source
Published 2026-10-02. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.