Following a deliberate act of arson believed to be politically motivated, a fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal near the Lichterfelde power plant in Berlin has disrupted power supply in south-west Berlin, leaving households and businesses facing prolonged electricity outages.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, January 3, has affected over 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses across four districts, resulting in disruptions to heating and internet services as well.
City authorities are treating the incident as a potential case of arson, drawing parallels to a similar power outage in south-east Berlin last September, where radical activists claimed responsibility.
Efforts are underway to verify the authenticity of a letter claiming responsibility for the recent incident, with Berlin’s Mayor Kai Wegner labeling the perpetrators as “left-wing extremists” in a statement to a German news agency.
Reacting to the situation, Franziska Giffey, the city’s Senator for Economic Affairs, described the power outage as severe, impacting a wide range of facilities and businesses, including hospitals, care institutions, and various companies.
While power has been restored to some households, a significant number are expected to remain without electricity until Thursday, with restoration efforts hampered by snowy weather and freezing temperatures, exacerbating the difficulties faced by those affected.
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