The combat of the grave industrial fire in large fuel depots in killings (western Cuba) continues this Monday after the uncertainty unleashed by the great explosion that occurred shortly before midnight.
According to the latest evaluations, this event – with a flare that rose tens of meters – was due to the collapse of the second deposit affected by the flames. The facilities consist of 8 tanks of 50,000 cubic meters each.
(Also read: 121 injured in Cuba due to the explosion of a fuel tank, the EU supports them)
At first, the official media indicated that the explosion was due to the fact that the fire had reached a third tank.
The governor of Matanzas, Mario Sabines Lorenzo, assured that “tank two itself, the same one that was already on fire” was the one that caused the explosion by cracking and spilling “all the fuel,” according to official media reports.
The third tank, he acknowledged, is in danger. Since early in the morning, several army helicopters have been cooling the area with seawater.
The fuel spill caused surrounding brush to burn, as well as several nearby industrial facilities. Damage has not been assessed.
This Monday, a powerful water pump, part of the Venezuelan aid, is expected to come into operation to pump a chemical agent that would help put out the flames.
(Also: Cuba: the serious energy crisis that the island has been facing for more than 2 months)
Victims
At least three people, according to official media, were injured in this strong explosion, according to the first unofficial count.
So far, the human balance of this industrial fire is one dead, 16 missing and 122 injured, with 7 people in critical or serious condition.
The missing are mainly firefighters who were surprised by the explosion of the second tank when they were working on the front line to stop the fire in the first. The recovery of the bodies will not begin until the flames are extinguished, explained the Cuban government.
In addition, more than 4,000 people have been evicted from Matanzas distribution housing located in the vicinity of the industrial park.
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The fire was declared around 7:00 p.m. local time (23:00 GMT) on Friday, according to the first hypotheses when a ray it impacted the base of fuel deposits and exceeded the capabilities of the lightning rod system.
That same afternoon the first tank exploded, with some 25,000 cubic meters of oil, and at around 7:00 local time (11:00 GMT) the second tank was lit, with an undetermined amount of fuel.
The flames have risen several tens of meters, dyeing the sky of nearby Matanzas red, and the huge column of black smoke has reached Havana, more than 100 kilometers away.
decisive help
The authorities coordinated this Sunday with those responsible for the brigades from Mexico and Venezuela who arrived on Saturday night to help put out the fire.
Four Mexican planes and one Venezuelan plane landed at the airport of the famous resort of Varadero, about forty kilometers north of Matanzas.
The first plane of the Mexican Air Force arrived with 60 soldiers and 16 technicians from Petróleos Mexicanos, followed by another with equipment and chemical products for fire control.
In the early hours of the morning another flight arrived from Venezuela with 35 firefighters, specialists and technicians from Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), who transported 20 tons of foam and other chemicals.
“The help is important, I think it will be decisive,” Díaz-Canel told the press.
The immense column of smoke that had extended to Havana since Friday had begun to subside on Sunday afternoon, before the third explosion.
From an aid post, located about 150 meters from the super tanker base, the group of volunteers from the local Red Cross was waiting, and the fire trucks were constantly leaving towards the area of the fire.
*With information from EFE and AFP
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