Las Vegas police and the FBI are investigating the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel, located north of the strip known as the Strip. The detonation this Wednesday left one dead inside the vehicle (it has not been determined whether it was a woman or a man) and seven other people with minor injuries. The electric vehicle, which was rented, was recorded engulfed in flames by some hotel guests, who shared the images on social networks. Firefighters extinguished the fire and police asked people to avoid the area while the investigation was exhausted. Local authorities believe it was an intentional act and not an accident, according to CBS.
“We are aware of the event that happened there and the number of victims… so we are taking every precaution here to keep the community safe,” said Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill. Police are looking for “secondary artifacts,” but McMahill ruled out that the threat remains valid. However, several patrol cars were deployed along the Strip to reinforce security. A police officer has confirmed to CNN that the incident is being investigated as a “possible attack.”
A few hours after the explosion, Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, indicated that his team was investigating what happened. “We have never seen anything like this,” the businessman wrote. Musk later said his company has confirmed that the explosion “was caused by a large amount of fireworks and/or a bomb in the bed” of the vehicle. The version has not been confirmed by the authorities.
The AP agency states that the Cybertruck was rented through the Turo application. FBI investigators do not rule out a link between this incident and the mass car accident that occurred early this morning in Louisiana. In that event, the driver, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, used the same digital platform to take over the F-150 truck with which he killed 15 people.
The smoke caused by the event could be seen from various parts of Las Vegas. The van parked minutes before 8:40 in the valet area, right at the main entrance of the building and outside the lobby. The clients who recorded the images uploaded to social networks were there.
Another video captured by a security camera at the establishment shows the exact moment of the explosion. This originates from the rear of the vehicle. A person was waiting for his car a few meters from the Cybertruck and you can see the moment in which he flees when the detonations begin. The images show that smoke and colored sparks are coming out of the truck.
Some witnesses have told local television that they heard loud explosions, like fireworks. Hotel managers prevented people from entering the building after the fire until the police clarified the facts. Vehicular traffic around Trump International was also cut off. The lives of none of the injured are in danger, according to authorities.
The authorities received the first information about the fire minutes before 9:00 a.m. Firefighters went to the area to extinguish the flames. The charred vehicle was covered by a large black tarp and remains at the entrance of the hotel while the police continue their investigations. The name of the owner has not been released, an electric truck model that has become very popular among American consumers since November 2023. Tesla sold about 17,000 units between June and October 2024.
Musk has ruled out that the explosion was due to vehicle failure. Some Tesla vehicles have experienced explosions or flash fires. These have occurred for different reasons, from battery failures due to increases in temperature, errors in charging stations and even incidents caused by third parties. There have been incidents with 83 people dead since 2013.
the magnate owner of Tesla and one of the Republican’s main advisors, welcomed the new year together at the Mar-a-Lago mansion in Florida. The close relationship between both characters has marked the period from the elections last November until next January 20, when Trump will assume his second term.
