Berlin power outage leaves 45,000 homes in the dark
Suspected arson damages high-voltage cables, leaving tens of thousands without electricity and heating amid freezing winter conditions.
Image for illustrative purposes
Germany, Berlin: Around 45,500 homes and 2,200 businesses in south-west Berlin have been left without electricity following a suspected arson attack on high-voltage cables, officials said. Some households may also be without heating as the outage has hit local district heating systems during freezing temperatures and snowfall.
The fire broke out early on 3 January on a bridge near a power plant. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control, but the damage is extensive. Authorities said about 35,000 households will remain without power until 8 January, with partial restoration already achieved.
Franziska Giffey, Berlin’s senator for economic affairs, described the situation as “a particularly serious power outage affecting tens of thousands of households and businesses, including care facilities, hospitals and social institutions.”
Stromnetz Berlin warned that repairs would take a very long time, with cold weather slowing the installation of new underground cables. Around 160 police officers were deployed to the Lichterfelde area, investigating on suspicion of arson. Authorities urged residents to stay with friends or relatives where possible, use phones sparingly and keep torches handy.
Local train stations were affected, with ticket machines and electronic information signs out of service, although trains continued to run.
The incident follows a similar outage in September, also suspected to involve arson, with an unnamed anarchist group claiming responsibility online. Germany remains on high alert for sabotage of critical infrastructure, including potential threats from foreign actors.
Source: The Guardian
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