Huge fire rages after lightning strike in oil depot

Many injured in major fire in oil storage in Cuba 

 

Of: 

 

TT 

 

Lina Thorén 

 

Published: Today 01.16 

 

NEWS 

 

An oil depot in Cuba is on fire. 

 

A large number of people have been injured and 17 firefighters are missing, according to Cuban authorities. 

 

A crude oil warehouse in the port city of Matanzas in Cuba is in flames. The fire is said to have been started by a lightning strike in one of the oil tanks on Friday evening local time. 

 

The violent fire has caused several explosions and spread. During Saturday, they had not yet managed to get it under control. 

 

Satellite images show a thick black column of smoke stretching westward, all the way to the capital, Havana, ten miles away. 

 

Close to 80 people are said to be injured, at least 15 of them seriously and for at least three of them the situation is described as critical. Around 800 people are said to have been evacuated from a residential area nearby.

Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP 

Asking for international help 

 

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel visited the area on Saturday. After the visit, he announced via Twitter that it may take time before the fire is extinguished. 

 

There is no information yet on how much oil has burned or is at risk of burning.

 

 

A helicopter waterbombs the fire. Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP/TT 

 

Cuba suffers from a lack of both propellant and fuel for its electricity production, and there is a risk that the fire will worsen the already strained situation. Since May, the authorities have imposed blackouts of up to twelve hours per day in some regions, which has led to large protests. 

 

According to a statement from the presidential office, they have asked for advice and help with the extinguishing work from "friendly-minded countries with experience in the oil sector". 

 

The cause of the fire is probably due to the facility's lightning rod system not working, reports the Cuban Communist Party newspaper Granma.