A Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, killing one person and injuring seven others. The FBI is investigating whether the incident was an act of terrorism, officials said.

Videos captured by witnesses showed the vehicle engulfed in flames near the hotel's entrance. The explosion occurred just hours after a separate attack in New Orleans, where a man drove a truck into crowds of New Year’s Day revellers, killing 15.

The Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas is part of the Trump Organization, owned by President-elect Donald Trump, who is set to return to the White House on January 20. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a key supporter of Trump during his 2024 presidential campaign, also serves as an adviser to the incoming president.

“Obviously, a Cybertruck and the Trump hotel — there are lots of questions we need to answer,” said Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department at a press conference.

FBI special agent in charge Jeremy Schwartz said it was too early to determine if the explosion was a terrorist attack. “I know everyone wants us to say, ‘This is a terrorist attack.’ That’s our goal — to find the truth,” Schwartz said.

Musk denies vehicle fault
Elon Musk stated the blast was unrelated to the Cybertruck's design. “We have confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck, and it is unrelated to the vehicle itself,” Musk wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion.”

Telemetry refers to the automatic collection and transmission of data from remote sources for analysis.

Details of the incident
Sheriff McMahill confirmed that the deceased individual was inside the 2024 model Cybertruck at the time of the explosion. Seven others sustained minor injuries, and two were transported to hospitals for treatment.

The Cybertruck and the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack were both rented through the car-sharing service Turo. The Cybertruck arrived at the Trump building at 8:40 am local time (1640 GMT). Las Vegas firefighters responded within four minutes and extinguished the blaze.

The Trump Hotel was evacuated, and most guests were relocated to nearby hotels.

Connection to New Orleans attack
Authorities are investigating potential links between the two incidents. The FBI reported finding a potential explosive device in the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack.

Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, addressed the Las Vegas explosion on X, referring to it as a “reported electric vehicle fire” near the building’s entrance.