Massive Accident in Berlin: 38 Thousand Homes Without Electricity and Heating Due to Sabotage.

According to ТСН: In the southwestern district of Berlin, tens of thousands of residents are left without electricity. A cold winter night with temperatures around zero has become a real test for the residents of the German capital. Many families have had to seek shelter with friends or stay in emergency centers due to the lack of light and heat.

Scale of the Incident

Initially, 45,000 households and 2,200 companies in the districts of Nikolassee, Zehlendorf, Wannsee, and Lichterfelde lost power. As of the night of January 4, energy workers managed to partially restore service for 7,000 customers.

However, the situation remains tense:

"As of now, 38,000 households and over 2,000 commercial customers are still disconnected from the grid."

The network operator Stromnetz Berlin reports that complete power restoration may not happen until the afternoon of Thursday.

Cause of the Incident

The event occurred early on Saturday morning when a cable splice above the Teltow Canal, supplying the Lichterfelde power station, caught fire. The fire damaged crucial main lines.

The police are conducting an investigation into arson.

"The state security service, responsible for political crimes, received a letter of confession, the authenticity of which is currently being verified."

The office of Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey confirmed that the authorities assume a version of 'deliberate act'. Replacing such high-voltage cables usually takes about five weeks, but for now, builders are trying to create a temporary scheme in a matter of days.

Life in Darkness

The power outages have led to several problems:

• No heating: Most systems, even gas ones, require electricity to operate pumps and controllers. Centralized heating has also been affected.

• Closed shops: Supermarkets and stores are not operational.

• Communication issues: The police warn of disruptions to mobile and landline phones.

The authorities have opened heating centers in churches and administrative buildings where people can charge their phones and receive hot drinks. Police are patrolling dark streets intensively, and additional light towers have been set up to ensure safety.

Rescuers urge Berlin residents to be cautious with alternative sources of heat and light and recommend using flashlights as a safer replacement for candles.

It should be noted that just before New Year's, thousands of passengers were stranded in the UK and France due to a blackout in the Channel Tunnel. This situation caused people intending to celebrate New Year's with their families to be unable to cross the tunnel and left them in a hopeless situation.

The electricity outage situation in Berlin demonstrates how crucial it is to have reliable power supply systems during cold periods. The city authorities are actively working on restoring electricity supply and providing assistance to those affected to mitigate the consequences of this emergency event.