A Tesla Cybertruck explosion has claimed the life of one and minorly injured seven bystanders.
The tragic event occurred on January 1, outside the entrance of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
Footage of the car fire shared to X (formerly Twitter) shows the truck engulfed in flames while firework-like sounds are heard following multiple explosions.
Though a motive has not been determined, the police believes that the explosion was intentional and is investigating the incident as a possible terrorist attack.
However, there are speculations that the Cybertruck explosion outside of the Trump International Hotel may not be unconnected to the deadly attack that occurred earlier in the day in New Orleans.
In the New Orleans incident, a man armed with an ISIS flag and explosives drove into a crowd on the city’s famous Bourbon Street, resulting in 15 fatalities and injuring dozens more.
Notably, the trucks involved in both incidents were rented from the same company.
After the tragic event, Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the electric car company looked into the matter and confirmed that the explosion was not due to a malfunctioning vehicle.
“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,” he posted on X, “and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.”
Eric Trump, the son of President-elect Donald Trump, also released a statement from the Trump Organization, on X acknowledging the incidents and expressing gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts.
“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.”
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