With international help, Cuba continues to fight a massive fire that broke out in oil tanks three days ago, leaving at least one dead, 16 missing and dozens injured.
In the early hours of Monday (8th), images from social networks showed explosions. Local press reports that civil defense confirms that the second burning tank collapsed, which would have caused the explosions.
Relatives of the missing met with President Miguel DíazCanel at a hotel in the city of Matanzas on Sunday. The incident happened at the Supertanqueros base, in the industrial belt of the municipality of 144,000 people, 105 km from the capital, Havana.
Of the 122 people originally reported, 24 remain hospitalized and five are in critical condition, according to medical staff.
The body of firefighter Juan Carlos Santana (60), found on Saturday, was buried with honors in his hometown of Rodas in the neighboring province of Cienfuegos this Sunday.
The fire started Friday afternoon when lightning struck one of the reservoir’s tanks, which held 26,000 cubic meters of household oil, about 50% of its maximum capacity.
2 of 2 Smoke from a fire in Matanzas, Cuba, on August 6, 2022 — Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Portal
Smoke from a fire in Matanzas, Cuba, on August 6, 2022 — Photo: Alexandre Meneghini/Portal
This tank feeds, through a gas pipeline, the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric power plant, which was out of action for a few days on May 24 when another lightning bolt damaged its structure.
During the night, the fire spread to a second tank, causing it to explode with 52,000 cubic meters of fuel oil.
Authorities coordinated Sunday’s work with those in charge of the Mexican and Venezuelan brigades, who arrived Saturday night to help put out the fire.
Cuba is unable to control the fire at the island’s largest oil storage facility
Four Mexican planes and one Venezuelan plane landed at the airport in the famous resort of Varadero, about 40 km north of Matanzas, with material and technical support.
The huge plume of smoke that stretched as far as Havana appeared narrower on Sunday, and air pollution dissipated.
From an aid post about 150 meters from the base of the tanks, volunteers from the local Red Cross waited, and fire engines constantly moved towards the fire area.