Cybertruck filled with fuel, fireworks explodes at Trump’s Las Vegas hotel
Authorities are investigating an explosion involving a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with fuel canisters and fireworks mortars outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The incident resulted in the death of the driver and minor injuries to seven others, according to police, who have not released the names of those involved.
The truck, rented in Colorado, reportedly arrived in Las Vegas just two hours before the explosion on Wednesday morning. It was parked near the hotel’s glass entrance when it began to smoke and then exploded.
In a statement, President Joe Biden said the White House is monitoring the situation, with law enforcement investigating potential links to an earlier attack in New Orleans that claimed 15 lives on New Year’s Day.
During a press conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill presented footage showing the dramatic explosion and images of the aftermath, including fuel canisters and large fireworks found in the truck bed.
The footage depicted the vehicle parked outside the hotel entrance for several seconds before it erupted, releasing bursts of multi-colored fireworks.
Additional video showed investigators extinguishing the blaze and examining the charred truck bed, which contained gas canisters and remnants of firework mortars.
The explosion occurred at approximately 8:40 a.m. PT (3:40 p.m. GMT), hours after a man drove a truck displaying an Islamic State (IS) flag into a crowd in New Orleans. Authorities discovered improvised explosive devices at that scene.
Sheriff McMahill stated that investigators are exploring possible connections between the Las Vegas incident and the New Orleans attack. They are also examining whether the explosion might be linked to President-Elect Donald Trump, who owns the hotel, or Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“Obviously, a Cybertruck, the Trump Hotel, there’s lots of questions that we have to answer as we move forward,” he said.
The FBI also said the agency was looking into whether the incident might be an act of terrorism, but the authorities said they currently had not confirmed the identity of the driver, who died in the vehicle. Authorities also said thus far, they had found no evidence that this incident was related to IS.
“I know everybody’s interested in that word, and trying to see if we can say, ‘Hey, this is a terrorist attack.’ That is our goal, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” FBI special agent in charge Jeremy Schwartz told reporters at a news conference.
The sheriff noted that both vehicles appeared to be rented from Turo, an app-based car rental company.
A Turo spokesperson said in a statement that the company was working with authorities in Las Vegas and New Orleans to help with the investigation. The spokesperson noted both renters appeared to not have a criminal background that would have “identified them as a security threat”.
“We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families,” the statement reads.
The authorities say they do have the name of the person who rented the vehicle but have not officially confirmed it was the person driving the vehicle.
“As you can imagine, with an explosion here on an iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep our community safe,” he said during a news conference.
Mr McMahill said there was no longer a threat to the Las Vegas community.
“We’re tracking the explosion of a Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas,” said the president in an evening address.
“Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans.”
Fire department officials said emergency responders had quickly worked to extinguish the vehicle fire.
They added that the public should stay away from the area. The hotel was evacuated, with most of the guests moving to a different location.
It is owned in part by President-elect Donald Trump’s company. In a post on X, Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said a “reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas”.
“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism,” he said.
Stephen Ferlando, speaking to The Washington Post, recounted witnessing the explosion from his hotel room on the 53rd floor of the Trump Tower. “There was definitely an explosion,” he said, adding that the windows of his room had begun to shake.
The Trump Hotel, as noted on its website, comprises 64 floors and houses approximately 1,300 suites.
Notably, President-Elect Donald Trump recently appointed Tesla CEO Elon Musk as co-leader of the Department of Government Efficiency, a presidential advisory commission. The appointment followed the development of a close relationship between Trump and Musk during the former’s campaign.