FIRE DAMAGES DATA CENTER WHILE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS DUE TO THE WELDING OF ROOF STRUCTURE COMPONENTS FROM INSIDE THE STRUCTURE, WHICH IGNITED NEARBY COMBUSTIBLES (STORED ROOFING MATERIALS). THE CONTRACTOR HAS ESTIMATED THE DAMAGES RANGE FROM $75,000.00 TO $100,000.00

FIRE DAMAGES AMAZON DATA CENTER WHILE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.  THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS DUE TO THE WELDING OF ROOF STRUCTURE COMPONENTS FROM INSIDE THE STRUCTURE, WHICH IGNITED NEARBY COMBUSTIBLES (STORED ROOFING MATERIALS). THE CONTRACTOR HAS ESTIMATED THE DAMAGES RANGE FROM $75,000.00 TO $100,000.00

 For Immediate Release: 

Around 1012 AM, Friday, January 9, Loudoun County began receiving reports for a structure fire in the 21200 block of Smith Switch Road in Ashburn, Virginia. Fire and rescue personnel from Ashburn (6), Kincora (25), and Sterling (11) responded to the 21263 Smith Switch Road. 

Upon arrival, units discovered a fire on the roof of a large data center that was under construction. With a second and third alarm quickly issued, additional units from Leesburg (20), Lansdowne (22), Lucketts (10), Sterling (11), Cascades (18), Brambleton (9), Dulles South (19), Fairfax County, and Metropolitan Washing Airports Authority responded to the scene. Approximately 100 personnel were on scene to battle the fire. 

The bulk of the fire, which was confined to the roof, roofing and construction materials, was brought under control around 1120 AM. Several workers, who were on the roof when the fire broke out, were able to safely self- extricate from the roof without injury. Following rehab, two firefighter were transported to local hospital for checkout. 

The Loudoun County Fire Marshal’s Office determined the cause of the fire to be accidental due to the welding of roof structure components from inside the structure, which ignited nearby combustibles (stored roofing materials). The contractor has estimated the damages range from $75,000.00 to $100,000.00.

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Welding equipment sparks 3-alarm fire at Amazon site in Loudoun County

January 9, 2015 - 10:55 am
Updated: January 9, 2015 - 04:12 pm

ASHBURN, Va. (WJLA) - Loudoun County firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze Friday morning in a large, under-construction building that is planned to be a new Amazon data center.

A plume of thick, black smoke from the fire could be seen for miles from the burning building's location along the 21200 block of Smith Switch Road in Ashburn.

Authorities said the blaze was apparently sparked by welding equipment being used on the building’s roof; five construction workers up there at the time escaped unharmed.

The blaze broke out about 10 a.m. and fire crews had it under control by 11:15 a.m. One firefighter was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

A spokesperson for Amazon Web Services told WJLA.com that the data center facility was in the early stages of construction, so the fire "caused no impact or risk of impact to (Amazon's) operations."

Fire officials estimated damage from the blaze at roughly $100,000.