((Automated translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))
(New throughout; adds comments from Las Vegas police, Eric Trump, details)
A Tesla Cybertruck caught fire outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring several others, and media reports indicated the investigation was into a possible terrorist act.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Kevin McMahill said at a news conference that one person was found dead inside the 2024 model year Cybertruck and that seven people were lightly injured. injured by the explosion.
Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla TSLA.O , said the electric car maker was investigating the fire.
“Tesla’s entire leadership team is investigating as we speak,” he said in a post on X, adding: “We’ve never seen anything like this.”
Mr. McMahill said the Cybertruck stopped in front of the Trump building at 8:40 a.m. local time. He added that police had in mind the attack in New Orleans ( ) which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday. The FBI said a potential explosive device was found in the vehicle used in the attack.
“As you can imagine with an explosion here on iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking every precaution to keep our community safe. We are looking for secondary devices,” McMahill said, adding that he did not appear to be any other threat to the community.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization and son of President-elect Donald Trump, posted a message on X about the incident: “Earlier today, an electric vehicle fire was reported in the gate coachwoman of Trump Las Vegas,” he wrote.
In 2024, the United States National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into a crash and fire involving a Tesla electric tractor-trailer on a California highway.
Automotive experts say electric vehicle fires burn differently than those in cars with internal combustion engines, often lasting longer and being harder to put out.
