The class-action lawsuit over the OVHcloud data center fire in March 2021 now has 140 clients.
Paris law firm Ziegler & Associés said that its clients were seeking more than €10 million ($10.6m) for the fire which destroyed OVHcloud's SBG2 data center in Strasbourg, and the data of clients using the facility. Neigboring SGB1 was also damaged.
Separately, four large companies are taking individual action against OVHcloud for the fire.
“The letter of formal notice is an official paper asking OVH for damages that companies are entitled to claim following this famous fire. It is, therefore, an attempt to reach an amicable agreement,” Ziegler & Associates said.
“The class action remains open, so companies wishing to join it can do so," it added - although it previously said companies had until February 2022 to join, and then pushed the deadline to mid-April.
The first letters from the law firm to OVHcloud are expected to be sent this month.
More than a year on, OVHcloud has yet to formally explain the cause of the fire. A firefighters' report released in March mentions failings including the lack of a power cut-off switch, but OVHcloud says it won't formally respond till it has clearance from its insurers and government agencies.
Ziegler Associes argues that OVHcloud was negligent in ways alluded to in this report, and has not offered sufficient compensation. It claims that OVHcloud offered a flat rate of €900 ($1,000) compensation per customer.
