Fire on roof at Chicago data centre during generator test
Aug 2024Published 2 Oct 2026
Companies named in this entry: Digital Realty
What happened
A small fire broke out on the roof of the data centre at 350 East Cermak Road in Chicago, Illinois, on 15 August 2024. A ColoHouse spokesperson said the incident happened during a routine generator test, when hot smoke led to roof debris catching fire. Firefighters attended and extinguished the fire quickly, with minimal damage reported. Digital Realty said reports of a carpet fire inside the building were unfounded, that there was no downtime, that no customers were affected, and that no injuries were reported. The fire service did not order a mandatory evacuation.
Contributing factors
According to the ColoHouse spokesperson, hot smoke during a routine generator test ignited roof debris. The cause of the smoke itself was not further described.
Lessons learned
- Generator tests should include a check that hot exhaust cannot ignite roof debris or other nearby material.
- A rapid fire-service response can limit a roof fire to minor damage.
- Operators should distinguish confirmed internal fires from unfounded reports so customers are not misled about service impact.
Source
Other entries that name Chicago
Published 2026-10-02. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.