A gigantic fire caused by lightning broke out Friday evening in an oil depot, 100 kilometers from Havana. At least 121 people were also injured.
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At least one person died in the gigantic firean oil depot struck by lightning, while at least 17 other people, mostly firefighters, are missing. At least 121 people were also injured, five of whom are in critical condition. The fire broke out on Friday August 5 when lightning struck one of the tanks at the oil depot in the suburbs of Matanzas, a city of 140,000 people 100 kilometers east of the capital, Havana. The fire then spread to a second tank.
Faced with the difficult control of the fire which “could take some time”according to Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuba “requested the help and advice of friendly countries with experience in the oil sector”.
The answers were not long in coming and the Cuban president expressed on Twitter his “deep gratitude to the governments of Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile, who promptly offered material assistance in solidarity with this complex situation”. The United States has also offered help to Cuba despite the ongoing sanctions regime.