Smouldering fire in battery system at Berlin data centre
Oct 2026Published 21 Oct 2026Responsible editor: Chief Editor
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What happened
On a Wednesday afternoon in October 2026, a smouldering fire broke out in a battery installation at a data centre on Nonnendammallee in Spandau, Berlin, according to BZ Berlin. The fire did not start in the server room but in an adjacent technical area. Police and fire services responded shortly after 14:00 with a large deployment of around 75 personnel. Specialists from the fire service's CBRN unit also attended to check whether hazardous substances or gases had been released, as is required for fires involving technical installations or battery systems.
Staff were moved out of the building as a precaution, and no one was reported injured. The fire service brought the fire quickly under control and the operation ended at about 15:45, although ventilation and smoke extraction measures continued afterwards. The cause was unclear at the time of reporting and investigations were under way.
Contributing factors
Not reported. The cause was initially unclear and investigations were under way at the time of reporting.
Lessons learned
- Battery installations in technical areas next to server rooms need fire detection and suppression that covers the whole battery space, not only the IT halls.
- Operators should have a documented plan for gas and hazardous-substance checks after a battery fire, so staff and responders know what is being monitored and why.
- Precautionary evacuation, ventilation and smoke extraction after a smouldering fire should be rehearsed so the building can be safely re-entered.
More lessons on detection and monitoring, emergency response and public communication, from every incident on the register.
Source
Published 2026-10-21. Written from public reporting. Descriptive, not investigative. See the data accuracy disclaimer.
