EFE

HAVANA
EnergiesNet.com

The serious fire that broke out in some large fuel tanks in Matanzas (western Cuba), which has left one dead and fifteen missing, has affected a third tank this Sunday.

A huge column of fire of several tens of meters suddenly rose from the area of the incident minutes before midnight (4.00 GMT), as transmitted by Cuban television.

According to official media, the efforts of the emergency teams – Cuban and international – to contain the flames in the first two affected deposits have been unsuccessful. The infrastructure has a total of eight tanks of 50,000 cubic meters each.

The flames reached the third tank, which had been cooled with sea water for most of Sunday, almost at the same time that the second tank collapsed due to the fire.

Shortly before, emergency crews had withdrawn from the area of the fire after a strong wind prevented their work and fanned the flames.

CASUALTIES

Cuba’s Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) indicated in its latest report that the fire has so far left one dead and 122 injured, of whom five remain in critical condition, three are in serious condition and 16 are receiving care (the rest have been discharged).

The missing are mainly firefighters who were caught by surprise by the explosion of the second tank when they were working on the front line to tackle the fire in the first one. The recovery of the bodies will not begin until the flames are extinguished, the Cuban government explained.

In addition, some 5,000 people have been evicted from their homes in Matanzas neighborhoods located near the industrial park.

The fire broke out around 19.00 local time (23.00 GMT) on Friday, according to the first hypothesis when a lightning struck the base of fuel deposits and exceeded the capacities of the lightning rod system.

That same evening the first tank exploded, containing some 25,000 cubic meters of oil, and at around 7.00 local time (11.00 GMT) the second, containing an undetermined amount of fuel oil, ignited.

The flames have risen several tens of meters, staining the sky of nearby Matanzas red, and the huge column of black smoke has reached Havana, more than 100 kilometers away.

EFE, Translated by Elio Ohep, Editor at EnergiesNet.com

efe.com 07 08 2022