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Fire on Berlin Cable Bridge Cuts Power to 45,000 With Repairs Stretching Into Thursday

Investigators suspect arson, with a claim of responsibility under review by state security.

Overview

  • The outage hit Nikolassee, Wannsee, Zehlendorf and Lichterfelde, cutting electricity to roughly 45,000–50,000 households and about 2,200 businesses.
  • A blaze on a cable bridge over the Teltowkanal damaged multiple high‑voltage lines, and repairs require deep excavation and new cable pulls slowed by snow and frozen ground.
  • Stromnetz Berlin forecasts full reconnection no earlier than Thursday, January 8, after establishing a provisional supply, and about 7,000 households and 150 businesses were restored by early Sunday.
  • Hundreds of police officers and around 350 firefighters were deployed, with care homes partially evacuated, hospitals on backup power, and multiple warming centers and emergency call points opened.
  • Heating has failed in many buildings, traffic signals are dark, shops closed and telecoms impaired, while S‑Bahn trains continue to run without station ticketing or passenger information systems.