Bitcoin Mining Facility Shuts Down After Causing Massive Water Leak in El Reno
A Bitcoin mining facility in El Reno, Oklahoma, was shut down after it caused a massive water leak that drained over three million gallons from the city's Lake water tower. The incident occurred when a private fire-suppression line on the property of Athlon Blockchain Technology LLC failed, causing the leak.
The city issued a Stop Work Order to Athlon in 2023 due to multiple fire and life safety code violations, as well as expired building and electrical permits. However, the facility continued to operate without valid permits, deploying modular shipping-container units that complicated traditional enforcement of permit frameworks.
As a result of the leak, El Reno's Public Schools and Union City schools were forced to close for multiple days, along with city and county offices. The city has issued a 10-day abatement notice and scheduled an administrative hearing for September 14, 2026.
Athlon BT has not issued a public statement on the matter, but its website was listed as 'temporarily offline' at the time of reporting. Interim City Manager Ken Brown stated that 'we failed,' referring to the city's inability to detect and prevent the leak earlier.