Cuba fuel depot blaze 'under control'
A Mexican firefighting vessel, the "Bourbon Artabaze", and helicopters battle to contain the days-old fire, on Aug 10, 2022. PHOTO: AFP
MATANZAS, CUBA (AFP) - Firefighters on Wednesday (Aug 10) declared that a days-old blaze engulfing a fuel depot has finally been brought under control, although not yet extinguished.
The fire, which started on Friday after lightning struck one of the tanks at the depot outside the western city of Matanzas, left a 60-year-old firefighter dead and 14 colleagues missing, feared dead, according to authorities.
"We can now say that the fire is under control," said deputy fire chief Alexander Avalos Jorge.
Four of the eight tanks at the site - each with the capacity to hold 50 million litres of fuel - collapsed during the blaze that injured more than 100 people, with 22 still receiving hospital treatment.
"Today we feel more calm," said Avalos, although he revealed there were still some fires burning and that they will not be put out on Wednesday.
Cuba has received support from Venezuela and Mexico, who both sent firefighters, fuel fire experts, equipment and materials.
MATANZAS, CUBA (AFP) - Firefighters on Wednesday (Aug 10) declared that a days-old blaze engulfing a fuel depot has finally been brought under control, although not yet extinguished.
The fire, which started on Friday after lightning struck one of the tanks at the depot outside the western city of Matanzas, left a 60-year-old firefighter dead and 14 colleagues missing, feared dead, according to authorities.
"We can now say that the fire is under control," said deputy fire chief Alexander Avalos Jorge.
Four of the eight tanks at the site - each with the capacity to hold 50 million litres of fuel - collapsed during the blaze that injured more than 100 people, with 22 still receiving hospital treatment.
"Today we feel more calm," said Avalos, although he revealed there were still some fires burning and that they will not be put out on Wednesday.
Cuba has received support from Venezuela and Mexico, who both sent firefighters, fuel fire experts, equipment and materials.
Earlier on Wednesday, the crew of a Mexican helicopter battling the blaze had said it was beginning to be controlled.
Images supplied by the helicopter crew showed less smoke coming from one of the burning tanks than on previous days, while the crew said the flames engulfing another tank had practically gone out.
From the city of Matanzas, some 4km from the depot, less smoke and flames were visible than on previous days, AFP reporters noted.
Images supplied by the helicopter crew showed less smoke coming from one of the burning tanks than on previous days, while the crew said the flames engulfing another tank had practically gone out.
From the city of Matanzas, some 4km from the depot, less smoke and flames were visible than on previous days, AFP reporters noted.
The fire left a 60-year-old firefighter dead and 14 of his colleagues missing, feared dead.
PHOTO: AFP
On Tuesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told reporters that once the flames have been extinguished and the temperature has dropped "we will be able to go in and recover the victims," in reference to the missing firefighters.
"It will be a very tough moment. We will have to be prepared to support these families."
The Matanzas depot, built in the 1980s and modernised several times, supplies the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest in the communist nation.
The plant resumed activities on Wednesday after a two-day shutdown due to contaminated water caused by the depot fire.
The disaster comes at a time when Cuba - with an outdated energy network and persistent fuel shortages - has faced mounting difficulties in meeting energy demands.
On Tuesday, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel told reporters that once the flames have been extinguished and the temperature has dropped "we will be able to go in and recover the victims," in reference to the missing firefighters.
"It will be a very tough moment. We will have to be prepared to support these families."
The Matanzas depot, built in the 1980s and modernised several times, supplies the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the largest in the communist nation.
The plant resumed activities on Wednesday after a two-day shutdown due to contaminated water caused by the depot fire.
The disaster comes at a time when Cuba - with an outdated energy network and persistent fuel shortages - has faced mounting difficulties in meeting energy demands.
Fire destroyed 40% of island’s main fuel storage facility over five days and caused blackouts
Firefighters work to put out a deadly firein Matanzas, Cuba, on 9 August. Photograph: Yamil Lage/AP
Reuters in MatanzasTue 9 Aug 2022
Firefighters have finally overcome what officials described as the worst blaze in Cuba’s history that over five days destroyed 40% of the Caribbean island’s main fuel storage facility and caused blackouts.
Raging flames that ravaged a four-tank segment of the Matanzas super tanker port had died down on Tuesday and the towering plumes of thick black smoke streaming from the area were diminished and now mostly gray.
Matanzas is Cuba’s largest port for receiving crude oil and fuel imports. Cuban heavy crude, as well as fuel oil and diesel stored in Matanzas in 10 huge tanks, are mainly used to generate electricity on the island.
Lightning struck one fuel storage tank on Friday evening. The fire spread to a second by Sunday and engulfed the four-tank area on Monday, accompanied by huge explosions and despite efforts by local firefighters supported by more than 100 Mexican and Venezuelan reinforcements.
Firefighter Rafael Pérez Garriga told Reuters on the steaming outskirts of the disaster that he worries the fire would impact the power situation in the country.
“The situation is going to be more difficult. If the thermoelectric plants are supplied with that oil, we are going to have the whole world affected, it is electricity and it affects everything,” he said.
The communist-run country, under heavy US sanctions, is all but bankrupt. Frequent blackouts and shortages of gasoline and other commodities already had created a tense situation with scattered local protests following last summer’s historic unrest in July.
On Tuesday, more helicopters joined the effort to put out the fire, along with two fireboats sent by Mexico along with heavy firefighting equipment.
“We have not yet been able to access the impact area due to the conditions. There is combustion and so we cannot risk our lives for now,” Pérez said around noon.
Later in the day firefighters for the first time were entering the area and spraying foam and water on the still smoldering remains.
“Today we have managed to control the fire,” Rolando Vecino, head of transport for the ministry of the interior, said on state-run television from the scene.
Officials have not said how much fuel has been lost in the fire which destroyed all four tanks. Authorities stated that no oil had contaminated the nearby Matanzas Bay. Still they warned residents as far away as Havana to wear face masks and avoid acid rain due to the massive plume of smoke the fire generated.
One firefighter died and 14 went missing on Saturday when the second tank blew up, authorities said on Tuesday, correcting an earlier figure of 16 missing. Five others remain in critical condition.
Mario Sabines, governor of the Matanzas province, about 60 miles (130km) from Havana, quipped the flames spread like an “Olympic torch” from one tank to the next, turning each into a “caldron”.
Reuters in MatanzasTue 9 Aug 2022
Firefighters have finally overcome what officials described as the worst blaze in Cuba’s history that over five days destroyed 40% of the Caribbean island’s main fuel storage facility and caused blackouts.
Raging flames that ravaged a four-tank segment of the Matanzas super tanker port had died down on Tuesday and the towering plumes of thick black smoke streaming from the area were diminished and now mostly gray.
Matanzas is Cuba’s largest port for receiving crude oil and fuel imports. Cuban heavy crude, as well as fuel oil and diesel stored in Matanzas in 10 huge tanks, are mainly used to generate electricity on the island.
Lightning struck one fuel storage tank on Friday evening. The fire spread to a second by Sunday and engulfed the four-tank area on Monday, accompanied by huge explosions and despite efforts by local firefighters supported by more than 100 Mexican and Venezuelan reinforcements.
Firefighter Rafael Pérez Garriga told Reuters on the steaming outskirts of the disaster that he worries the fire would impact the power situation in the country.
“The situation is going to be more difficult. If the thermoelectric plants are supplied with that oil, we are going to have the whole world affected, it is electricity and it affects everything,” he said.
The communist-run country, under heavy US sanctions, is all but bankrupt. Frequent blackouts and shortages of gasoline and other commodities already had created a tense situation with scattered local protests following last summer’s historic unrest in July.
On Tuesday, more helicopters joined the effort to put out the fire, along with two fireboats sent by Mexico along with heavy firefighting equipment.
“We have not yet been able to access the impact area due to the conditions. There is combustion and so we cannot risk our lives for now,” Pérez said around noon.
Later in the day firefighters for the first time were entering the area and spraying foam and water on the still smoldering remains.
“Today we have managed to control the fire,” Rolando Vecino, head of transport for the ministry of the interior, said on state-run television from the scene.
Officials have not said how much fuel has been lost in the fire which destroyed all four tanks. Authorities stated that no oil had contaminated the nearby Matanzas Bay. Still they warned residents as far away as Havana to wear face masks and avoid acid rain due to the massive plume of smoke the fire generated.
One firefighter died and 14 went missing on Saturday when the second tank blew up, authorities said on Tuesday, correcting an earlier figure of 16 missing. Five others remain in critical condition.
Mario Sabines, governor of the Matanzas province, about 60 miles (130km) from Havana, quipped the flames spread like an “Olympic torch” from one tank to the next, turning each into a “caldron”.
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