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The fire that broke out on a bridge across the Teltow canal in the south-west of the capital early on Saturday could deprive up to 35,000 homes and 1,900 businesses of electricity – and in many cases heat – until 8 January, the grid company Stromnetz Berlin said.

As state security authorities opened an investigation into the cause of the blaze near the Lichterfelde heat and power station that damaged several high-voltage cables, the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) said.

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The area affected by the power cut includes many elderly care homes and hospitals as well as high-rise buildings with residents who are reliant on elevators that are now out of order. Berlin received moderate snowfall at the weekend and night-time temperatures plunged well below freezing.

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A previous arson attack attributed to the far left in September knocked out electricity for 60 hours in the south-east of the city in what was reportedly Berlin’s longest power cut since the second world war.

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