Firefighters subdue deadly blaze at key oil facility in Cuba

HAVANA –

After five days of intense fighting, authorities have successfully contained a devastating fire that had destroyed nearly half of a large oil plant in western Cuba. The fire threatened to worsen the island’s energy crisis. said Wednesday.

A firefighter in Cuba claims that flames that nearly consumed the fourth tank of the eight-tank Matanzas facility were quickly extinguished. However, the third tank is still on the move and surrounded with smoke.

Col. Daniel Chavez is second in command of Cuba’s firefighting unit. said The fire could burn for the next few days, but he didn’t expect it to grow further. He said The next step is to cool it.

At least one person was killed and 128 were injured in the fire. 14 firefighters are still missing, and 20 people were hospitalized. Officials had to evacuate over 4,900 people, and shut down a thermoelectric plant because it ran out of water. This raised concerns about the possibility of new blackouts.

Arturo Lopez Levy is a professor of international relations and politics at Holy Names University, California. said Cuba’s already difficult situation will be made more complicated by the fire.

“I think any realistic forecast would point to more blackouts and more difficulty in carrying out the minimum economic activity in the country,” he said.

Lopez-Levy also warned that it would be difficult “to lift up this country after this triple tragedy,” referring to the U.S. sanctions, the pandemic and now the fire.

Some Cubans are concerned that the blaze could result in more planned power outages while the government deals with fuel shortages.

“That gives way to more justification of blackouts that are going to occur,” said Pedro Pozo is a state worker.

Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba’s President, praised the efforts of local firefighters and special teams from Venezuela and Mexico that used boats, planes, and helicopters to combat the flames. The billowing, toxic smoke could have been seen from Havana, the capital.

“(Tuesday) was a victory day, but we cannot be overconfident,” the president tweeted Wednesday as he warned about a possible switch in the wind direction. “Danger is lurking.”

Friday saw lightning strike the Matanzas Supertanker Base’s key infrastructure. This pipeline receives Cuban oil, which powers thermoelectric plants. It is also used as a transshipment and unloading center for import crude oil, fuel oil, and diesel.

The government hasn’t provided any estimate or estimates of damage. said How much it has lost in key fuel supplies overall. The first tank had 50% capacity and held nearly 883,000 cubic yards (25,000 cubic metres). The second tank was full.