1 killed in Tesla cyber truck explosion outside Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s

A Tesla cyber truck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Jan 1, killing the driver and injuring seven others, just hours after a man suspected to be associated with ISIS rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans killing at least 15 people.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said they are investigating whether this incident was an act of terrorism.

On Jan 1, the cyber truck halted at the Trump building at 8:40 am local time and burst into flames within minutes, killing the driver and injuring seven others.

"At approximately 8.40 am, reports were received of a vehicle explosion. One person inside the Cyber Truck was killed, and seven others were injured. Authorities have confirmed there is no further threat to the community. The public is urged to avoid the immediate area around the explosion site," the Las Vegas police said in a briefing.

While US President Joe Biden said the FBI is investigating any possible links between the two incidents, Tesla CEO Elon Musk alleged a connection, saying both vehicles were rented from the same car rental site.

"Appears likely to be an act of terrorism. Both this Cyber truck and the F-150 suicide bomb in New Orleans were rented from Turo. Perhaps they are linked in some way," Musk wrote on X.

Las Vegas Police said the vehicle was rented in Colorado. The driver has been identified, but his identity has not been disclosed publicly.

Preliminary investigation found firework mortars and camp fuel canisters in the back of the vehicle. The video recording by witnesses inside and outside the hotel showed flames pouring out of the car.

Musk was quick to remark on the strength of the Cyber truck saying, "The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cyber truck contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”

The explosion was directed upward rather than outward, keeping the truck bed walls and glass particles intact.

He also shared a post in which he said that the police credited the lack of damage to the hotel to the strength of the Cyber truck.

The tech billionaire further said that his entire senior team was investigating the explosion, adding, “We’ve never seen anything like this.”

"It's a Tesla truck, and we know Elon Musk is working with President-elect Trump, and it's the Trump Tower. So, there are things to be concerned about, and we continue to investigate it,” a senior FBI officer said.

Musk supported Trump in the Nov 5 election and has been appointed by him to head a commission to trim government spending.