What caused the power outage in Berlin on January 3rd?

A fire at an electric cable ramp is believed to have caused the power outage, with arson being a suspected cause.

How many people were affected by the Berlin power outage?

The power outage affected approximately 50,000 households and 2,000 commercial entities in the Lichterfelde neighborhood.

Was the Berlin cable fire investigated as arson?

Yes, criminal investigators were on the scene assessing the cause of the fire, and arson was considered a possibility.

Home / Disasters and Accidents / Berlin Blackout: Arson Suspected in Power Cable Fire

Berlin Blackout: Arson Suspected in Power Cable Fire

3 Jan

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Summary

An electric cable ramp fire in Berlin caused a significant power outage.
Approximately 50,000 households and 2,000 businesses lost power.
Arson is suspected as the cause of the fire amidst freezing temperatures.

Berlin Blackout: Arson Suspected in Power Cable Fire

An electric cable ramp fire erupted in Berlin on Saturday morning, leading to a widespread power outage that affected 50,000 households in the Lichterfelde area. The blaze, reported around 05:45 GMT, also impacted approximately 2,000 commercial entities and caused disruptions to mobile phone and landline services.

Firefighters responded swiftly to the incident and managed to extinguish the flames. However, the situation remains under investigation, with criminal investigators deployed to the scene to determine the cause of the fire. Authorities are reportedly considering arson as a potential cause for the electrical infrastructure failure.

The power outage occurred while Berlin was experiencing freezing temperatures. Police and emergency services were present to manage the situation and address public inquiries, underscoring the critical nature of the disruption during cold weather conditions.