Cuba failed to control the fire of the island's largest oil depot; Mexico and Venezuela send reinforcements to fight the fire

Fire in the most important oil depot in Cuba which started on Friday and has yet to be controlled by firefighters. This Sunday (7), and Mexico and the Venezuela Send reinforcements to fight the fires.

On Friday, lightning struck one of the eight oil storage tanks in the port of Matazanas and led to a fire. On Saturday, a second tank caught fire.

Cuba fails to control the fire of the largest oil depot on the island

Firefighters and others at the site did not expect this second fire.

The second explosion injured more than 100 people, and 24 were taken to hospital, five of whom are in critical condition. There are still 16 missing.

Smoke from a fire in Matanzas, Cuba, on August 6, 2022 – Photo: Alexandre Menegini/Reuters

President Miguel Diaz-Canel said the fire is difficult to control and also said the country does not have all the means to do so.

This Sunday, 82 Mexicans and 35 Venezuelans with experience fighting fuel fires joined the Cubans. They boarded four planes loaded with chemicals to fight the fires.

“Help is important, I would say it is vital and it will be crucial,” Diaz-Canel said. Cuba was using water and helicopters to put out the flames.

A helicopter prepares to drop water on an oil tank fire in Cuba, on August 7, 2022 – Photo: Alexandre Menegini/Reuters

Each tank at the facility can store 300,000 barrels and provide fuel for power plants, said Jorge Pinon, director of the Latin American Energy Program at the University of Texas.

Cuba suffers from daily power cuts and fuel shortages. The loss of fuel and storage capacity is likely to exacerbate the situation, which has sparked small local protests in recent months.