Technocrat Media
Three electricians have been reportedly injured at the Google data center located in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
According to Google and the police department, “three electricians were critically injured and transported to a local hospital after an “electrical incident” at a Google data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa,” SFGATE confirmed the incident in a report.
The incident occurred at 11:59 a.m. local time on Monday, the Council Bluffs Police source told SFGATE.
“Three electricians were working on a substation close to the data center buildings when an arc flash (an electric explosion) occurred, causing significant burns to all three electricians.
“One person was taken by helicopter to Nebraska Medical Center, while two more were transported by ambulance. (Nebraska Medical Center is a short distance from Council Bluffs, which is right on the Iowa-Nebraska border.)
“All three people were conscious and breathing when they were transported for medical care,” the police department said.
Reacting to the development, Google spokesman, Devon Smiley said “We are aware of an electrical incident that took place today at Google’s data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, injuring three people on site who are now being treated.
“The health and safety of all workers is our absolute top priority, and we are working closely with partners and local authorities to thoroughly investigate the situation and provide assistance as needed,” Smiley added.
The tech company has 23 data centers around the world with 14 data centers in the United States.
According to Google, the data centers primarily “keep all of Google’s products and services up and running around the clock,”
The Council Bluffs location site is one of Google’s largest. It first opened in 2009.
