The deadly fire that broke out in a vast oil depot in western Cuba took on a new dimension on Monday, when the flames devoured a tank that firefighters were trying by all means to cool.
The disaster began on Friday evening, when lightning struck one of the depot’s eight tanks. The balance sheet currently stands at one dead and 125 injured. Dozens of firefighters are also missing. A second tank ignited on Saturday, causing multiple explosions.
“The risk that we had announced has occurred, and the fire of the second tank has compromised the third,” said Mario Sabines, the governor of the western province of Matanzas, where the depot is located.
Firefighters doused the remaining tanks with water to try to prevent the disaster from spreading.
Mexico and Venezuela have sent special teams to fight the flames. Water cannons, planes and helicopters were also mobilized. Military specialists have erected barriers to contain the escaping oil.
plume of noxious smoke
Local leaders have warned residents to wear masks or stay indoors due to the plume of smoke that can be seen from the capital, Havana, 100 kilometers away. Officials have warned that the smoke contains substances that are extremely harmful to health.
The majority of the victims were treated for injuries or after being overcome by smoke, including five who remain in critical condition. Twenty-four people are hospitalized in total. The body of a firefighter was recovered over the weekend. Relatives of the missing are gathered at a nearby hotel awaiting news.
Governor Sabines and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel explained that it is impossible to search for the missing firefighters due to the infernal temperatures.
The disaster led to the evacuation of some 5,000 people, mainly in the Dubrocq district of Matanzas. The oil in the eight tanks is used to generate electricity, but it is unclear how much fuel has been lost so far.
The first tank that ignited was 50% full and contained approximately 25,000 cubic meters of fuel.
The disaster comes at a time when Cuba is hit by a deep economic crisis. The island suffers from frequent power outages in the middle of a sweltering summer.