An eletric vehicle burst into flames outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, according to officials and videos on social media.
The vehicle appeared to be a Tesla Cybertruck, though local officials had not yet made any announcements about the automobile’s make or why it caught fire.
The cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
In the videos circulating online, sirens can be heard inside the lobby of the Trump International Hotel as the vehicle just outside the doors is seen engulfed in flames. One person on social media said they were near the front door when the vehicle exploded and that they were forced to leave their luggage by the door.
The Clark County Fire Department confirmed that it had responded to a vehicle fire in the valet area of the Trump International Hotel at approximatley 8:40 a.m. local time.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations Las Vegas also said in a statement to NBC News that it “has personnel on scene to offer assistance to our local partners, who handled the initial response.”
Tesla, as well as the company’s vice president of vehicle engineering, Lars Moravy, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In a statement from The Trump Organization, which was also shared by President-elect Donald Trump’s son Eric Trump on X, the organization acknowledged that “a reported electric vehicle fire occurred in the porte cochère of Trump Las Vegas.”
“The safety and well-being of our guests and staff remain our top priority. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Las Vegas Fire Department and local law enforcement for their swift response and professionalism,” the statement read.
The Trump International Hotel Las Vegas is owned by the Trump Organization and American businessman Phil Ruffin.
In videos of the lobby, loud blasts could be heard as the fire grew larger just beyond the entrance to the hotel, which is embossed with the letter “T” for Trump.
Mary Lescano Paguada, 43, who was on vacation in Las Vegas freom San Antonio, Texas, to celebrate the New Year at Trump International Hotel, told NBC News she heard an explosion in the early morning.
Initially, she didn’t worry until she started seeing law enforcement responding the scene.
Paguada said once she and her husband reached he lobby they heard screaming and were told by hotel staff to get out and “don’t breathe the smoke. Don’t stay.”
She said they were not allowed to return to their rooms after they went downstairs in an attempt to get them to evacuate the area.
Social media posts showed smoke filling the air in the area around the building. Other videos taken from nearby hotels show first responders appearing to race to the scene of the fire.
President-elect Donald Trump has tapped Tesla CEO Elon Musk to co-lead an advisory council, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), during his second administration, which aims to slash federal regulations and government spending. Musk, who is the world’s richest person, contributed $277 million to back Trump’s campaign and other GOP candidates according to campaign finance records.
