Tesla cyber truck bursts into flames outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas, killing one

On By Littum

A Tesla Cybertruck burst into flames Wednesday morning just outside the entrance to the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, killing one person and injuring several others, according to local officials.

The Clark County Fire Department confirmed that it had responded to a vehicle fire in the valet area of ​​the Trump International Hotel at approximately 8:40 local time.

At a news conference, Clark County Fire Department Deputy Chief Thomas Touchstone said that as first responders began to extinguish the fire, “at the same time they realized that there were several people with injuries around the vehicle.”

Touchstone said seven people were injured, two of whom were transported to University Medical Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.

Touchstone said officials are working to recover the body from the Cybertruck. Officials asked the public to stay away from the scene until further notice.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.

Videos posted on social media show smoke outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1, 2025.
Videos posted on social media show smoke outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1, 2025.@ChrisSaad via X

In videos circulating online, sirens can be heard inside the lobby of the Trump International Hotel as the vehicle just outside the doors is seen engulfed in flames. One person on social media said they were close to the front door when the vehicle exploded and were forced to leave their luggage at the door.

In a statement sent to X, Tesla CEO Elon Musk wrote: “The entire Tesla senior team is investigating this matter right now. Sending more information as soon as we hear anything. We’ve never seen anything like this.”

The FBI Las Vegas also said in a statement to NBC News that it “has personnel on scene to offer assistance to our local partners who handled the initial response.”

In a statement from the Trump Organization, which was also shared by President-elect Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump on X, the organization acknowledged that “a reported electrical vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère at Trump Las Vegas.”

“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remains our highest priority. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their quick response and professionalism,” the statement read.

The Trump International Hotel Las Vegas is owned by the Trump Organization and American businessman Phil Ruffin.

In videos of the lobby, loud bangs can be heard as the fire grows larger just beyond the entrance to the hotel, which is marked with the letter “T” for Trump.

Mary Lescano Paguada, 43, who was vacationing in Las Vegas from San Antonio, Texas, to celebrate the New Year at the Trump International Hotel, told NBC News that she heard an explosion early in the morning.

At first she didn’t worry until she started seeing police responding to the scene.

Paguada said that when she and her husband reached the lobby, they heard screams and were told by hotel staff to get out and “don’t breathe the smoke. Don’t stay.”

She said they were not allowed to return to their rooms after going downstairs in an attempt to get them to evacuate the area.

Posts on social media showed smoke filling the air in the area around the building. Other videos taken from nearby hotels show first responders appearing to drive to the scene of the fire.

Trump has tapped Musk to lead an advisory council, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), under his second administration that aims to cut federal regulations and government spending. Musk, the world’s richest person, contributed $277 million to support Trump’s campaign and other GOP candidates, according to campaign finance records.