Equinix Data Center Diesel Fuel Spill in Secaucus, New Jersey
A computer glitch caused approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel to spill from an Equinix data center storage tank in Secaucus, New Jersey, leading to contamination of Anderson Creek. Contractors removed most of the spilled fuel and authorities reported no impacts to the Hackensack River or wildlife.
What happened
Approximately 5,000 gallons of diesel fuel spilled from a storage tank at an Equinix data center in Secaucus, New Jersey on Friday night. According to the mayor of Secaucus, the spill was caused by a computer glitch.
Equinix detected the fuel release, stopped it, and immediately contacted agencies. Contractors removed the spilled oil from nearby Anderson Creek, a tributary of the Hackensack River, with approximately 3,500 gallons cleaned up over the weekend.
Reported impact
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection stated that the spill was contained before reaching the Hackensack River itself. The agency and U.S. Coast Guard monitoring found no observed impacts to the river or wildlife.
The DEP noted there are no drinking water intakes in the area and no impacts to wildlife have been reported. Cleanup was expected to take several days.
Index analysis
The spill highlighted concerns about data center expansion and reliance on diesel backup generators for power. Data centers have become a political issue due to concerns about environmental and economic effects of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Governance controls
Equinix stated it was conducting a full investigation to determine the root cause and prevent recurrence, and brought in an environmental remediation company. The company said it has been in the community for over two decades and committed to resolving the issue transparently.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.