Blackout in Berlin

Tens of thousands of households without power until Thursday

The police are on duty at the cable bridge where a fire is said to have triggered the blackout.(Bild: EPA/FILIP SINGER)

Berlin is in a state of emergency: more than 45,000 households are without power due to a widespread blackout. The terrible news for many Berliners: the blackout is expected to last until Thursday.

Since the morning, a good 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses in the south-west of the capital have been without power due to a fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal. It is now clear that tens of thousands of Berliners will probably have to make do without electricity until Thursday. The police are investigating on suspicion of arson.

Snowfall complicates the situation
The incident showed once again: without electricity, little can be done in everyday life. Traffic lights are out, supermarkets are closed. The police are on the road with loudspeaker vans and informing residents with announcements. On this morning of all mornings, snow is falling in Berlin. "Due to the power outage, there may also be heating failures," the police write on the X platform. If possible, people should stay with friends, cell phones should be used sparingly and elderly people should be offered help.

Hospitals and care homes evacuated
Fire service spokesperson Vinzenz Kasch said that the situation was also challenging because several care homes and hospitals were located in the area with the power outage in Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The fire department had already transferred residents and patients from two homes to other homes.

Fire was the cause of the blackout
This morning, Stromnetz Berlin had expressed confidence that it would be able to rectify the fault quickly - the power should be back on in the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district and elsewhere by 6.30 p.m., as reported by Bild. It quickly became clear what had caused the damage: the fire on the cable bridge over the canal to the Lichterfelde power station on the outskirts of the city. According to the fire department, a construction container initially burned under the cable route that leads across the Teltow Canal to the Lichterfelde power station. 

Police investigating possible arson
The police quickly announced that they were investigating suspected arson. Emergency services had been alerted by a witness at around 6.45 am. Depending on the results, the state security service, which is responsible for political crimes, may also be called in. According to Stromnetz Berlin, the scale of the blackout is comparable to a similar incident in south-east Berlin in September. There, too, around 50,000 customers were affected. The power outage lasted for days. The cause at the time was a politically motivated arson attack on two electricity pylons.