Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk said the explosion involving a Cybertruck on Wednesday was not due to the vehicle’s design or functionality, but rather an external factor.
What Happened: Musk took to X to shed light on the incident involving a Cybertruck that had caught fire.
“We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” he stated.
The incident in question occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. A video shared on social media showed the vehicle engulfed in flames, leading to speculation about the cause of the fire.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department provided an initial briefing on Wednesday about the Cybertruck explosion. He confirmed that one person inside the Cybertruck had been killed and seven others were injured.
He also said that the authorities have confirmed there is “no further threat to the community.”
In a later update, McMahill shared videos that showed evidence such as gas canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars on the bed of the involved Cybertruck. He noted that the exterior of the truck was largely intact as it sat outside the hotel.
“The fact that it was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast go up through the truck,” he said.
This was also corroborated by Musk in a separate social media post on the same day. The Sheriff said that the front doors of the hotel remained intact despite the blast.
McMahill refused to confirm any names associated with the incident at the later press briefing but revealed that the truck was rented in Colorado.
The police were able to trace the truck through Tesla charging stations. McMahill stated the vehicle arrived in Las Vegas at 7:30 a.m. It was noticed moving on the Las Vegas Boulevard before it entered the Trump International Hotel.
Why It Matters: The fire, extinguished by emergency services after being reported at 8:41 a.m. PT, is under investigation, with no injuries confirmed. The incident coincides with Musk’s increased ties to President-elect Donald Trump.
McMahill said that the Cybertruck explosion was “isolated” and ruled out further threats to the community. Acting Special Agent For Federal Bureau Of Investigation Jeremy Schwartz said the agency was conducting an investigation into the incident and was determining if this was an act of terrorism.
“We believe this is an isolated incident, we don’t believe there is a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this,” said Schwartz.
The Sheriff stated that potential links to the New Orleans incident, where a vehicle sped into a crowd in the early hours of New Year’s Day, are under probe. “We are not ruling out anything out yet,” said McMahill.
He also said there was no indication that the Las Vegas incident had any links to ISIS but said every aspect was under investigation. McMahill noted that the vehicles involved in the New Orleans and Las Vegas incident were both rented from the same company.
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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Shivdeep Dhaliwal
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