The child of a worker who fell at one of SpaceXAI's data center construction sites in Memphis, and later died, has sued the companies that own and operate those data centers, court records show.
The lawsuit was originally filed in Shelby County Circuit Court on Aug. 11, but was moved to federal court on Sept. 11.
According to the lawsuit, Alexis Vicent was working at SpaceXAI's Tulane Road data center, Colossus II, in the early morning hours of Aug. 15, 2025. Vicent was on a mezzanine "approximately 25-30 feet off the concrete ground" and the area was allegedly poorly lit.
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The lawsuit said it was his "first
day working at this location."
Despite wearing equipment designed to prevent him from falling off the mezzanine, the lawsuit alleged there was no tie-off point for his safety harness. The mezzanine also "completely lacked the requisite guardrail systems, safety net systems, lifeline, a functioning personal fall-arrest anchorage system or adequate warnings in place" for employees.
"Given the lack of required fall protections available in the area where decedent (Vicent) worked, he was unable to 'tie-off' and secure his safety harness," the lawsuit alleged. "While transitioning between two elevated mezzanines, decedent fell approximately 25-30 feet to the concrete floor below, sustaining catastrophic injuries from which he died."
Vicent's injuries were not described in the lawsuit, and it said he died months later, on Feb. 26, in Lake County, Florida.
According to the lawsuit, the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the fall and "concluded that decedent was not protected from fall hazards while walking/working on and around the mezzanine area, thereby exposing him to a hazard."
A TOSHA investigation happened following the Aug. 15 incident, and the report notes it was investigated and a $4,500 penalty was given out by OSHA; that report was dated and concluded on Nov. 20, 2025.
That report was not included as an exhibit in the lawsuit.
SpaceXAI did not immediately return a request for comment.
The lawsuit requests a jury trial and $30 million in damages, describing the compensatory damages as $10 million "or, roughly 0.05% of the data center project investment costs" and the punitive damages as $20 million "or, roughly, 0.1% of the data center project investment costs."
The case was moved from circuit court to federal court, in part, because the damages exceeded $75,000. SpaceXAI, which is being represented by Butler Snow, moved for the case to be brought to federal court.
Vicent was not a SpaceXAI employee and worked for Employer Solutions Staffing Group, according to the lawsuit.
Vicent's death is the first reported death tied to SpaceXAI's construction in Memphis. A month after his alleged fall at Colossus II, it was reported that two men working at the company's Southaven power facility were electrocuted in the morning hours of Sept. 12, 2025.
Both men were treated at a local hospital, and one was reported as being in stable condition despite spending at least 53 days in the hospital.
Both of those men were also not employees of Elon Musk's SpaceXAI, and worked for the Texas-based Solaris Energy Infrastructure.
Commercial Appeal reporter Neil Strebig contributed to this report.
Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by phone or email: (901)208-3922 and Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, and followed on X @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Elon Musk's Memphis data centers sued for $30 million for worker death
