Power outage in Berlin leaves 45,000 households without electricity

A massive power outage has left around 45,000 households in southwest Berlin without electricity since Saturday morning amid winter snow.

The blackout was caused by a fire on a cable bridge over the Teltow Canal. The fire has since been extinguished. German media reported that police and fire services are conducting a major operation. Repairs are expected to take an extended period, and police are investigating the incident as suspected arson. The grid operator Stromnetz Berlin said on its website that full power restoration for all customers may not be achieved until next Thursday afternoon.