Berlin power grid was hit by arson and responsibility was claimed by leftwing militants

Leftwing militants said they set an arson fire that damaged high-voltage cables on a bridge in south-west Berlin, cutting electricity to tens of thousands of households and businesses; authorities have opened an investigation and crews are working to restore power, with some outages possibly lasting until Thursday.

A fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow canal in south-west Berlin damaged high-voltage cables and caused a large power outage early on Saturday. A group known as the Vulkangruppe has claimed responsibility, linking the action to concerns about the climate crisis and energy use for AI. State security authorities have opened an investigation into the blaze near the Lichterfelde heat and power station. Grid operators and repair teams are working to restore supplies, and cold weather has slowed some repair efforts. Known details: - The blaze occurred on a bridge carrying power cables near the Lichterfelde power station and damaged several high-voltage lines. - The Vulkangruppe claimed responsibility in a published message, saying it targeted wealthier districts and citing climate and AI-related motives. - Authorities and the grid operator reported that tens of thousands of households and businesses lost power; some areas had electricity restored by midday Sunday while others remained without power. - State security investigators are treating the incident as politically motivated and repair crews said cold conditions may delay full restoration until later in the week. Summary: The outage disrupted homes, care facilities and local services and prompted an official criminal investigation. Repairs are under way but full restoration is expected to take several days in some areas due to weather and the damage sustained. Undetermined at this time.