These multi-million dollar complexes have decreased in size but increased in complexity, sophistication and value. A fire in a major communication facility can wipe out phone services or Internet access worth billions of dollars in business to end-users. Typically a central office contains row after row of electronics with hundreds of miles of wiring in cable trays overhead, and personnel is at a minimum.

An electrical fire almost always starts by overheating in an electronic component or from natural phenomena like lightning.