Battery Fire Disrupts X Operations at Oregon Data Center

A fire broke out on May 22, 2025, at a data center in Hillsboro, Oregon, leased by Elon Musk’s social media company X, causing widespread service outages. The fire, which involved batteries in a specific room of the facility, led to heavy smoke but was contained without spreading to other parts of the building, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters responded promptly and allowed the fire to burn itself out while ensuring safety, and Digital Realty, the data center operator, emphasized ongoing monitoring and minimizing customer impact. The incident resulted in global user access issues reported by Downdetector, with thousands of users experiencing outages. X had consolidated data center operations in the Portland area after shutting down their Sacramento facility in 2022 and leasing space from Digital Realty, which operates multiple sites in Hillsboro. Despite the disruption, the fire was controlled, and both Digital Realty and Hillsboro Fire and Rescue prioritized safety and facility integrity during the response.