One day after an arson attack on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal caused a major power outage in southwest Berlin, the left-extremist Vulkangruppe group has claimed responsibility, with authorities deeming the statement authentic. Governing Mayor Kai Wegner calls it terrorism. Partial reconnections are underway, but full restoration may take until Thursday.
The outage, which began early Saturday and initially hit 45,000 households and over 2,200 businesses in Zehlendorf, Nikolassee, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde, continues to disrupt the region. Stromnetz Berlin reports 7,000 households and 150 commercial customers reconnected by Sunday, with another 3,000 households expected soon. Five high-voltage cables (plastic and oil types) were destroyed by incendiary devices, complicating repairs expected to finish by Thursday afternoon via a provisional connection.
Police, State Criminal Office, Constitutional Protection, and BKA are investigating. Vulkangruppe, known for a March 2024 pylon attack halting Tesla's Gigafactory in Brandenburg, claimed the act. Mayor Wegner (CDU) stated: "This is not just arson or sabotage. This is terrorism," noting risks to vulnerable groups like elderly on ventilators. Greens' Konstantin von Notz called for Federal Prosecutor General involvement due to endangered lives.
Four major hospitals are reconnected, preventing evacuations. Economic fallout includes closed supermarkets and looming millions in damages; UVB's Alexander Schirp urges better infrastructure protection. Low use of emergency shelters like Zehlendorf Town Hall, but community solidarity aids those affected, amid concerns for the elderly in cold apartments and rumors of burglaries.
