Cybertruck Erupts in Flames Near Trump Hotel

Tesla Cybertruck Explodes Near Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Leaving One Dead

Tesla Cybertruck Explosion Outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas Leaves One Dead, Seven Injured

LOS ANGELES, United States, Jan 2, 2025 (BSS/AFP) – A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring seven others, according to police.

Authorities are investigating the explosion, with US President Joe Biden noting they are exploring possible links to an earlier attack in New Orleans, where a truck plowed into a New Year’s crowd, killing at least 15. However, Biden emphasized that no connection has yet been established between the two incidents.

Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill described the event as an isolated incident, stating that the electric vehicle pulled up to the hotel’s glass entrance before a “large explosion” occurred.

Video footage captured the stainless steel truck parked at the entrance moments before it erupted into flames, followed by smaller blasts resembling fireworks.

“There was one deceased individual inside the Cybertruck,” McMahill told reporters. Seven others suffered minor injuries, and the hotel was evacuated as a precaution.

Upon investigation, authorities found gasoline, camping fuel canisters, and large firework mortars in the truck’s bed. McMahill credited the truck’s design for limiting the damage. “The blast went mostly upward through the vehicle,” he said, noting that even the hotel’s glass doors nearby remained intact.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the explosion stemmed from fireworks or a bomb in the truck’s bed, stating on his platform X that it was unrelated to the vehicle’s design. Musk said Tesla’s senior team was investigating, adding, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”

While the FBI and local law enforcement believe the blast was isolated, US media reports suggest authorities are examining it as a potential terror attack.

Musk-Trump Connection Draws Scrutiny

The Cybertruck, rented in Colorado via Turo, has sparked speculation due to Elon Musk’s ties to President-elect Trump. Musk, a prominent Trump supporter, has been appointed to lead a commission to reduce government spending.

Sheriff McMahill acknowledged these connections but maintained there was no evidence linking the explosion to broader conspiracies or groups. “It’s a Tesla truck, Elon Musk is working with Trump, and it happened at the Trump tower. Those are considerations we’re exploring,” McMahill said.

President Biden reiterated that investigators were reviewing all leads, particularly the potential connection to the New Orleans incident, though no definitive links have been established.

This investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to determine the exact cause of the explosion.