According to BT News, Berlin has been experiencing a widespread power outage since Saturday, which may extend into Thursday, after a cable bridge in the southwestern part of the city was deliberately set on fire, leaving approximately 45,000 households without electricity. Read more after the announcement.
Details of the accident and its causes
BT reported that the fire broke out in a cable-stayed bridge, a vital facility carrying power lines, causing widespread power outages in Berlin. The German newspaper Bild reported that the damage was extensive, making the restoration of electricity a complex process that could take several days, according to BT.
Taking responsibility from a left-wing group
A far-left group called the Vulkan Group claimed responsibility for the attack in a lengthy statement. The group stated that the attack was part of what it described as a confrontation with centers of power and influence.
Statements from security agencies and investigations
Security sources reported that the confession released by the group is highly credible, noting that the country's security apparatus has launched an investigation to uncover all the circumstances and identify those involved. The sources explained that authorities are treating the incident as a serious act of sabotage targeting vital infrastructure, according to a BT newspaper article.
A lengthy statement and escalating slogans
The group published a lengthy ideological manifesto of approximately 2,500 words, celebrating the attack and adopting the slogan: "Cut off power to those in power." The group openly called for further acts of sabotage against energy facilities, describing its attack as beneficial to society from its perspective.
Serious humanitarian and service-related repercussions
The power outage had widespread consequences in Berlin, especially as temperatures approached freezing. Authorities opened emergency shelters to house those affected, and nursing homes evacuated some residents due to the extreme cold. Many schools remained closed on Monday, and hospitals were placed on high alert.
The reports, according to the source, indicated that thousands of children, patients, and the elderly were forced to stay in their homes without adequate heating, which exacerbated the humanitarian crisis.
Electricity is expected to be delayed for several days.
Authorities estimated that the power outage would continue until Thursday, as repair work and security investigations continued, amid official calls for calm and cooperation with the authorities.
German sources: Emergency shelters and accommodation centers opened
According to local German sources, German authorities and emergency organizations have prepared shelters and accommodation for those affected by the power outage in Berlin following the sabotage fire that cut off electricity to tens of thousands of families amid severe cold.
Local authorities in Berlin stated that they have launched what are called “Notunterkünfte” emergency shelters and warm centers in several locations in the city to serve people who have lost electricity and heating, especially vulnerable groups such as the elderly and the sick (according to lists of support and emergency sites distributed among residents and local authorities). These shelters operate 24 hours a day to provide assistance if communication networks are disrupted or electricity is unavailable, and they provide basic services such as information, heating, and assistance when necessary.
Authorities also informed affected residents via loudspeakers and the media that they needed to move to the homes of relatives or friends if possible, or to these temporary shelters, especially as services continued to be disrupted and heating facilities were affected, according to statements by officials in a press release from the Berlin municipality.
Which group carried out the acts of sabotage?
When searching for the name of the group mentioned in the BT article, and according to Wikipedia information, the Vulkangruppe group was founded in 2011, and its origins are in Berlin and the surrounding Brandenburg region.
German authorities classify this group as far-left and within the anarchist spectrum, and security services view its actions as manifestations of political violence targeting the capitalist system and state infrastructure. In Berlin's constitutional security reports, the group is listed among far-left extremist groups and treated as a security threat accordingly.
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