One dead and seven injured after a Cybertruck explosion near Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.
The car was parked right in front of the hotel's entrance.
A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire and exploded just outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on New Year’s Day, according to authorities. A deceased person was found inside the vehicle, and seven individuals with minor injuries were reported, according to area sheriff Kevin McMahill. During a press conference, several videos were shown that captured different angles of the incident.
The videos revealed the presence of gasoline containers, camping fuel cylinders, and “firework mortars,” which, according to sources, are connected to a detonation system operated by the driver. It was reported that the Cybertruck was rented in Colorado, and authorities were able to track its movement through Tesla charging stations as well as a license plate scanner that recorded its arrival in Las Vegas around 7:30 AM PT. The vehicle remained in front of the hotel for approximately 15 seconds before the explosion.
The FBI is also on the scene, and authorities evacuated the hotel while searching for possible “secondary devices.” However, McMahill assured that “there does not appear to be any additional threat to our community.” Around 8:40 AM PT, a 2024 Cybertruck arrived in the hotel lobby, and it was noted that smoke began to billow from the vehicle before the explosion occurred. Fire crews arrived in four minutes and managed to control the fire within an hour.
What caused the fire remains uncertain. “At this point, we don’t have many answers,” stated FBI special agent Jeremy Schwartz. Authorities have not provided details about the deceased person inside the Cybertruck, and it is unknown if they were the driver. “We are investigating several leads, and I’m not prepared to release that information yet,” McMahill commented.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk stated that the explosion was not related to the vehicle itself, indicating that the company was able to access data from the Cybertruck to demonstrate that it was not caused by the vehicle. According to Musk, the explosion was due to large fireworks or a bomb located in the back of the rented vehicle, and he claimed that “authorities currently believe that [the explosion] was more likely intentional.”
This incident comes amid reports of Musk's closeness to the elected president Donald Trump, as it was revealed that the Tesla CEO celebrated New Year's Eve at Mar-a-Lago. It is also reported that Musk has been staying in a cabin on Trump’s property in Florida since around Election Day.
Additionally, the context of this event is complicated by a recent terrorist attack in New Orleans, where a driver rammed a truck into a crowd, resulting in at least 15 deaths. Such an event was cited by Las Vegas authorities as a reason to be cautious in searching for possible “secondary devices.”
While residents of Las Vegas were advised to keep their distance from the area, Sheriff McMahill suggested that the incident in the city is likely over, stating, “We believe everything is safe now.” Many witnesses also reported seeing an “explosion” and shared videos of the rising smoke. Several described the phenomenon, mentioning that the vehicle started burning before explosions were heard, with some suggesting it could be batteries exploding.
Donald Trump has not publicly commented on the incident, although Eric Trump has addressed the situation, emphasizing that the safety of guests and staff is the top priority and thanking emergency services for their swift response.
