Fire in Berlin Tens of thousands have to live without electricity for days after radical left-wing attack
Early on Saturday morning, a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal on the south-western outskirts of the capital caught fire. The consequences are devastating. What was behind it?
04.01.2026, 07:24
04.01.2026, 08:07
dpa
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- A fire on a cable bridge has caused a massive power outage in south-west Berlin.
- Around 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses are affected, some of them until the middle of the week.
- The police are investigating arson and are looking into a possible political motive.
No electricity, no heating, no internet, no mobile phone service - and to make matters worse, nothing to eat at home: a passer-by stands helplessly in front of a closed Aldi supermarket in Lichterfelde on Saturday. Since the early hours of the morning, around 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses in south-west Berlin have been without power due to a fire on a cable bridge. The police are investigating arson and are also talking about a letter of confession. The state security service responsible for political crimes is involved.
In the afternoon, the bad news: for most of those affected in the Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee and Lichterfelde districts, the emergency situation is likely to last for days. The operator Stromnetz Berlin hopes to be able to supply 10,000 households in Lichterfelde from other parts of the network from Saturday evening.
The remaining 35,000 customers will have to wait for the grid to be repaired, which is also unusually complex due to the winter weather. According to the operator, it will take until Thursday afternoon. For many, this means seeking shelter with friends or relatives or in a hotel. The fire department announces emergency shelters and points to cell phone stores. It is a state of emergency.
Heating systems are on strike
Because without electricity, almost nothing works in everyday life - and this is evident here too. The traffic lights are out, the supermarkets are closed - not just the Aldi at Sundgauer Strasse S-Bahn station, but also the competitors' stores next door. Heating systems usually don't work without electricity either, because it is needed for pumps and regulators - and on a snowy day in Berlin of all days.
Even district heating is affected, according to the Senate for Economic Affairs. "Although the district heating power plant itself is not affected, the pumps cannot reliably transport the heat to the connected buildings without electricity." It's cold outside, but the spinach in the freezer is thawing. Electric blinds cannot be opened, alarm systems fail and emergency calls cannot be made. In the afternoon, the S-Bahn is interrupted at some stations and replaced by buses.
Residents of care homes are relocated
The police are on the road with loudspeaker vans and inform residents with announcements. They also provide practical tips via social networks: "So check whether you have the option of staying with friends or relatives. Use cell phones sparingly. Think of elderly or vulnerable people and offer help. Have flashlights or battery-operated lights ready for the evening hours."
Fire department spokesman Vinzenz Kasch says the situation is also challenging because several nursing homes and hospitals are located in the area with the power outage in Steglitz-Zehlendorf. The fire department had already moved residents and patients from two homes to other homes. They are now checking what else is needed. The whole situation is very dynamic.
The fire department warns against using gas-powered heaters indoors. If the telephone network is disrupted, you can contact the nearest fire station or police station for help in an emergency. An emergency call can also be made to bus drivers. Berliners in other parts of the city should consider whether relatives live in the affected areas and might need help.
Similar dimensions as in the fall
According to Stromnetz Berlin, the scale of the power outage is comparable to a similar case in September in south-east Berlin, when 50,000 customers were initially affected. Back then, the power outage also lasted for days. The cause back then was a politically motivated arson attack on two electricity pylons. And now?
It is quickly clear what caused the damage: the fire on the cable bridge over the Teltow Canal to the Lichterfelde power station on the far south-western outskirts of the city.
The police are currently investigating deliberate arson. A letter of confession. According to the "Bild" newspaper, the radical left-wing "Vulkan Group" has claimed responsibility for the attack.
