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Cybertruck explosion at Las Vegas Trump Hotel, force blunted by vehicle say police

2 days ago
25 4 minutes read
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One person is dead, and seven people were injured after a Tesla Cybertruck burst into flames outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas Wednesday morning. Authorities are in the process of investigating if the incident was an act of terrorism or not, said Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill.

A driver, the lone occupant of the vehicle, pulled the 2024 Cybertruck into the valet area of the hotel, McMahill told reporters.

According to McMahill, one person inside the vehicle was killed, but authorities have not identified that person yet. Using data from Tesla’s electric vehicle charging network, McMahill said investigations revealed that the vehicle was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. before heading to the hotel. Upon arrival, the truck remained near the entrance for 15 to 20 seconds before exploding. McMahill said they are still investigating how the truck detonated.

In a video shared by LVMPD, McMahill identified explosive evidence, gasoline canisters and large firework mortars, in the back of the truck.

Seven people suffered minor injuries as a result of the explosion, the sheriff added. Two of those people were taken to a hospital for treatment, according to Clark County Deputy Fire Chief Tommy Touchstone.

“It looks like the exterior of that truck is completely intact and sits there,” said McMahill of the scene following the explosion. “The fact that this was a Cybertruck, [it] really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast go up through the truck and out.”

The front glass doors of the hotel, just a few feet away from the incident, did not shatter from the explosion, McMahill pointed out. Following the initial blast, fireworks can be seen bursting from the vehicle.

“All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion,” Must said in a post to X, commenting that the explosion was due to the explosive materials found in the truck bed.

Deputy Fire Chief Billy Samuels said fire trucks were able to arrive within four minutes of being dispatched. A electric vehicle blanket and sprinkler system was used to combat the flames of the electric vehicle.

According to Brian O’Neal, an assistant chief with Clark County Fire Departments, lithium-ion battery fires are difficult to contain because they can enter a self-heating state that leads to reignition even after the principal fire has been extinguished. This ignition can occur hours or days after the flames have been extinguished, he continued. In addition, research indicates lithium-ion cells can release oxygen during thermal runaway, further enabling the battery to generate its own flames.

Touchstone said crews will remain on scene to ensure the Cybertruck doesn’t catch fire again and to recover the person killed in the explosion.

People were evacuated from Trump International and nearby shopping mall Fashion Show Las Vegas and temporarily sheltered at Resorts World, said McMahill. Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada supplied ten busses to help with evacuation efforts.

Two senior law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation believe the act was intentional, according to NBC News.

In a statement, car rental company Turo confirmed that the incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas involved vehicles rented on Turo.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” published Turo in a statement. “Our trust and safety team is actively partnering with law enforcement authorities to share any information that could be helpful in their investigations. We do not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat, and we are not currently aware of any information that indicates the two incidents are related.”

There does not appear to be any further threat to the public, said McMahill, but he acknowledged that because of the suspected terror attack in New Orleans that occurred on the same day, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were taking precautions to check for anything else.

Jeremy N. Schwartz, acting special agent in charge for the FBI’s field office in Las Vegas, said agents are helping with the investigation but they did not have many answers as of yet.

“Do I think it’s a coincidence? I don’t know,” said McMahill. “But what I can tell you is we’re absolutely investigating any connectivity to what happened in New Orleans, as well as other attacks that have been occurring around the world. We’re not ruling anything out yet.”

Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said his office is also coordinating with LVMPD and partner agencies on the response and would make sure they have any necessary resources.

People are asked to avoid the area as the investigation continues. McMahill said he would provide another update later in the day.

Eric Trump, son of President-elect Donald Trump and executive vice president of the Trump Organization, thanked law enforcement and firefighters for their response.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority,” Eric Trump wrote.


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2 days ago
25 4 minutes read

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