Production halts at Tesla's German plant following suspected arson attack

Tesla's production at its German factory came to a standstill on Tuesday after alleged assailants set fire to high-voltage lines in close proximity, causing a power outage at the only Tesla plant in Europe, as confirmed by the company and authorities.

Emergency services responded to a report of a burning electricity pylon southeast of Berlin in the early hours, located in the factory's vicinity.

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Firefighters successfully extinguished the blaze, but the incident resulted in a loss of power not only to the Tesla factory but also to surrounding villages. Authorities have initiated an investigation into the incident, treating it as a suspected case of arson.

While environmental activists opposing the planned expansion of the Tesla factory had recently established a camp near the plant, the police refrained from speculating on any potential connection between the activist group and the fire.

Michael Stuebgen, the interior minister for Brandenburg state, characterised the incident as a "perfidious attack on our electricity infrastructure" and emphasised the severe consequences on the affected population.

Stuebgen underlined the commitment to address such acts of sabotage with the utmost severity but urged against premature speculation regarding responsibility.

In response to the situation, Tesla assured that the production facilities were in a safe state post the shutdown and employees were released from work.

The company, however, expressed uncertainty about the timeline for resuming production.

(With inputs from agencies)