Production at electric car maker Tesla's only European factory is at a standstill following a power cut. A spokeswoman told dpa today.
The factory in Grünheide, near Berlin, was evacuated. A burning electricity pole had already caused a major power outage in the region close to the Tesla factory. Regarding the possible cause, police initially said: “We are investigating in all directions.”
Portal/Annegret Hilse
As Tesla continued, all measures were taken to protect production facilities. After consultation with electricity supplier Edis, Tesla does not expect production to restart quickly.
As the police announced, the fire department was called to the fire in the Gosen-Neu Zittau area, near Berlin, at around 5:15 am, and began to extinguish the fire. According to a spokesperson, the fire caused a power outage in the region.
Police spokesman Roland Kamenz said the electricity pole was freestanding in a field. A police helicopter was also deployed in the morning after the alarm about the fire was raised.
Connection to protests against expansion?
When questioned, authorities did not comment on a possible link to protests around the Tesla factory. Since Thursday, around 80 to 100 environmental activists have occupied part of the state forest in Brandenburg, near the Tesla factory, which Elon Musk's company wants to clear if its site is expanded.
Activists have built around ten tree houses several meters high and have announced that they want to resist as long as possible. The Grünheide citizens' initiative also speaks out against Tesla's expansion plans and shows solidarity with the occupiers.