Musk reveals reason behind Cybertruck's killer explosion outside Trump hotel
What's the story
A Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning has left one dead and several injured.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that seven people suffered minor injuries in the incident.
The name of the deceased has not been revealed by Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during a media briefing.
Vehicle details
Cybertruck was rented in Colorado
McMahill, however, revealed that the Cybertruck that exploded was rented from Colorado via Turo, a peer-to-peer rental company.
The vehicle reached Las Vegas at around 7:30am PT (9:00pm IST), having been driven through the Las Vegas Strip to the hotel where the incident took place.
Police have identified the person who rented the vehicle, and McMahill stated they are investigating that individual, while keeping his identity undisclosed for now.
Investigation update
Gasoline canisters, large firework mortars found in truck
The investigation into the explosion found petrol canisters and large firework mortars in the bed of the Cybertruck.
McMahill said these items were found inside the vehicle.
He also added that the design of the Cybertruck "limited the damage" within the valet area near hotel's entrance.
An eyewitness video showed that as soon as it pulled up outside, it "blew up."
Twitter Post
Take a look at the footage
Cybertruck blew up in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Those are our luggage by the door and that’s where we were when it happened. pic.twitter.com/KaVZXfGLNK
— ayackle (@kaaaassuu) January 1, 2025
Corporate responses
Turo and Tesla respond to the incident
Turo, frequently compared to Airbnb for cars, offered its condolences over the incidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas. The company said it's working closely with law enforcement authorities in their investigations.
Meanwhile, Tesla CEO Elon Musk initially said his team is looking into the incident. He later confirmed on social media that the explosion was caused by large fireworks or a bomb carried in bed of rented Cybertruck, not related to vehicle itself.
Twitter Post
Take a look at Musk's post
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 and is unrelated to the vehicle itself.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025
All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ