PHOTO+VIDEO | In a big fire in an oil storage in Cuba, 17 missing and 77 injured
Seventeen people are missing and 77 injured in a major fire in western Cuba that broke out yesterday in an oil storage facility after being struck by lightning.
The XNUMX missing are firefighters who were in the area closest to the fire when the explosion occurred, said the office of the Cuban president, who asked for help and advice from friendly countries with experience in the oil sector on how to bring the fire under control. The president Miguel Diaz – Canel wrote on Twitter that extinguishing the fire may take some time.
It is vital to keep the information constant to the people, with serenity. The instructions to follow have been given and they are working hard and in very difficult conditions. Extinguishing the fire may still take time, but recovery strategies are already being outlined. #ForceMatanzas pic.twitter.com/S42EhyWjzx
- Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez (@DiazCanelB) August 6
The fire occurred after lightning struck one of the oil storage tanks on the outskirts of Mantazas, a city of 140 people, about 000 kilometers east of Havana. A few hours later, another tank exploded. Cuban state television reported that 17 firefighters were missing after the second explosion. Civilians had already been evacuated from the area.
Three of the injured are in critical condition, three are in very serious condition, and 12 have sustained serious injuries, writes the official Granma newspaper. According to Granma, the lightning protection system could not handle the strong electrical discharge.
Mario Sabines Lorenzo, the governor of Matanzas, said about 800 people had been evacuated.
Asbel Leal, director of the Cuban Petroleum Union (CUPET), said that at the time of the accident, the first tank contained about 26.000 cubic meters of domestic crude oil, or about half its capacity. The second tank contained 52.000 cubic meters of fuel oil.
According to him, there has never been a fire of this scale in Cuba. The Antonio Guiteras power plant, the largest in Cuba, is supplied from this warehouse, but its power supply has not been interrupted, adds Granma.
The fire occurs at a time when the island has difficulties in the supply of electricity due to the increased consumption of electricity due to the summer heat.
The authorities introduced electricity restrictions that last for 12 hours in some parts, because of which the residents are angry and have so far organized about twenty protests.