Musk shocked

Dead in cybertruck explosion outside Trump hotel

A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a Trump hotel. The cause was initially unknown, but caused much speculation on the web.

(Bild: Screenshot/x.com)

Another shock on New Year's Day in the USA: on Wednesday morning (local time), a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of a hotel owned by future US President Donald Trump in Las Vegas. One person in the vehicle was killed and seven others were injured. Investigations are ongoing. Tesla boss and Trump friend Elon Musk is horrified.

The cause of the explosion in the US state of Nevada was initially unclear. Videos showing the Tesla Cybertruck burning out were posted on social media. One person died directly in the car and seven others were slightly injured, according to the police.

The police in Las Vegas confirmed that they were investigating "an incident at the entrance to Trump Tower". The car had pulled up in front of the glass entrance to the Trump International Hotel when a "large explosion" occurred, said Sheriff Kevin McMahill.

Here you can see a video showing the burning Tesla:

The affected hotel is located behind the famous Las Vegas Strip and has 64 floors. Guests reported being asked to stay in their rooms or leave the entrance area.

Wild speculation on social media
The cause was hotly debated late on Wednesday evening. Users on X wrote about an electrical fire, while media reports suggest another possible act of terrorism.

The exploded vehicle is a truck that weighs around three tons and is not yet registered in Europe. The head of electric car manufacturer Tesla is billionaire Musk, whom future US President Trump appointed as his special advisor.

Here you can see Musk's reaction:

Musk: "Have never seen anything like it"
Musk has already spoken out himself. The entire team would investigate the matter. "We've never seen anything like it," he wrote on his platform. 

Petrol cans and fireworks on the loading area
At the press conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill from the Las Vegas police department showed footage from a surveillance camera of the explosion of the Cybertruck and a later drone flight over its loading area - showing the charred remains of several petrol cans and fireworks.

Same rental car app as in New Orleans?
Meanwhile, rumors are also doing the rounds on social media that the Cybertruck was rented via the same app as the car used in the New Orleans attack. The "New York Post" writes that investigators have confirmed this.

Police are investigating the connection between the two cases
A possible connection with the explosion in Las Vegas, which occurred just a few hours later, is being investigated. So far, there are no indications of a connection to the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS), as there appears to be in New Orleans. "We believe this is an isolated incident," said McMahill.

As reported, the new year had already begun in the USA with an extreme act of violence. Just a few hours after midnight, a man, later identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar (42), drove his pick-up truck through a crowd of people in New Orleans and fired from his vehicle. Ten people were killed.