--- title: "Fire Marshal Uncovers House of Horrors Lurking Inside Bitcoin-Mining Data Center" description: "The fire marshal in El Reno, Oklahoma issued a Bitcoin data center a \"failing\" grade due to severe safety issues." date: "2026-09-10" modified: "2026-09-10" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins.md" url: "https://futurism.com/future-society/fire-marshal-house-horrors-data-center-bitcoin" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "Bitcoin" - "Blockchain" - "Cryptocurrency" - "Ethics" - "Future Society" --- # Fire Marshal Uncovers House of Horrors Lurking Inside Bitcoin-Mining Data Center ![Close-up of a red fire extinguisher valve and pressure gauge, with a dark, moody background and visible scratches on the surface.]() Back in August, a massive leak in El Reno, Oklahoma spewed close to four million gallons of local water into the ground, forcing the city into an unofficial stand-still. The cause was quickly traced back to a damaged water line belonging to a Bitcoin-mining data center operated by the company Athlon BT. As [*ABC5* reported]() at the time, city inspectors trawling the building's exterior uncovered the failed water line, as well as violations around drainage, maintenance and access, and expired building permits. Weeks later, an investigation by the local fire marshal inside the El Reno data center uncovered a further laundry list of horrifying violations. The inspectors discovered vessels full of flammable liquid stored near combustible materials, Oklahoma station [*KFOR* reported](), in addition to fire extinguishers that weren't properly maintained. Electrical equipment and crucial wiring was also found in disrepair, while a lockbox meant to hold keys for emergency first responders to easily access the facility was left empty. Vegetation on the building's exterior was in violation of the fire code. As a result of the copious fire hazards, the city gave the data center a "failing" grade, indicative of a building with severe structural or safety failures. When it comes to data centers, fire safety is no small matter. The structures are already highly prone to conflagration due to massive electrical loads, lithium-ion batteries, and chips that run at extremely high temperatures. In one Ohio township, fire fighters reported [being overwhelmed]() by the high volume of calls to two local data center campuses. In addition to tying up first responders, data center fires are costly affairs for taxpayers, as property tax abatements mean nearby residents — not data center owners — can be the ones fronting the bill whenever the fire company gets a call. **More on data centers:** *[Data Center Caught Watering Its Lavish Lawn While Human Neighbors Are on Year-Long Water Restriction]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()