Police are investigating the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
On Wednesday, a cyber truck approached the glass entrance in front of the hotel, then the vehicle began to emit smoke and exploded, police said.
The driver was killed and seven others injured, police said without naming any of the people involved. Officials said all injuries were minor.
In a post on X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the explosion was “caused by massive fireworks and/or a bomb placed in the bed of a rental cyber truck and had nothing to do with the vehicle itself”.
The fire broke out around 0840 PT (1540 GMT), after 15 people were killed when a man drove a truck into a crowd on New Year’s Day in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Police have not yet confirmed whether the Las Vegas incident was caused by a bomb or fireworks, but two sources familiar with the investigation told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner. Investigators are working to determine if fireworks were responsible.
Sheriff Kevin McMahal of the Las Vegas Police Department said authorities were well aware of it. What happened in New Orleans?“, referring to the attack that involved an improvised explosive device found near the scene in Louisiana.
“As you can imagine, with the explosion here on a famous Las Vegas boulevard, we’re taking all the precautions we need to to keep our community safe,” he said during a news conference. need.”
“Obviously, a cyber truck, a Trump hotel, there are a lot of questions that we have to answer as we go forward,” he added.
The two incidents are not related. Mr McMeal said there was no longer any danger to the Las Vegas community.
ReutersEmergency responders worked quickly to extinguish the vehicle fire, fire department officials said.
He added that the public should stay away from the area and that the hotel has been evacuated, with most guests being relocated.
The hotel is partly owned by President-elect Donald Trump’s company. In a post on X, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said “an electric vehicle fire was reported at Port Couture in Trump Las Vegas”.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff is our top priority. We sincerely thank the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their quick response and professionalism,” he said.
The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident and that his administration had offered any federal assistance.
Videos of the incident circulating on social media showed a cyber truck engulfed in flames in front of the Trump Hotel.
Stephen Furlando told the Washington Post that he watched the incident from his hotel room on the 53rd floor of Trump Tower. He told the shop that “there was definitely an explosion” and the windows started shaking.
According to its website, the Trump Hotel spans 64 floors with approximately 1,300 suites.
Trump recently nominated Musk to co-lead the Presidential Advisory Commission, the government efficiency department, after the two became close during Trump’s campaign.