The fire that consumed an oil storage base for five days in Matanzas in western Cuba was declared “controlled” by the island’s Fire Department this Wednesday (10), one dead and 14 missing so far.
“Now we can say that the fire is under control,” Alexander Ávalos Jorge, deputy director of the organization, told the press, highlighting the aid from Mexico and Venezuela.
The fire was announced after lightning struck one of eight tanks, each with a capacity of 50 million liters of fuel, at the storage base 100 kilometers east of Havana on Friday.
“We’re calmer today,” Ávalos said with a less tense face, but reminded that some active epidemics were still going on and total extinction “won’t be today.”
Earlier, the crew of a Mexican helicopter flew over the fire and reported that the fire was under control.
One of the four tanks set on fire was “nearly extinguished”, a Cuban pilot accompanying colleagues in the Mexican Army told television.
The pilot estimated that “work was efficient” as it was possible to hold the pipe connecting the deposit with four other 52 million-liter tanks located 150 meters away.
A second tank had less smoke and weaker flames than in the previous days, according to footage released by the crew to Cuban television.
In the other two warehouses, it was not possible to confirm the situation as the smoke made it difficult to see although the flames were less intense.
– A unique experience –
According to AFP journalists, there is less smoke than in the days before the city of Matanzas, four kilometers from the fire.
Correspondents also saw Bourbon Artabaze of the Mexican Army launch a powerful jet of water about 150 meters from the fire, and five helicopters equipped with 2,500-liter tanks poured water into the sea.
Mexico and Venezuela promptly responded to Cuba’s request for assistance, and since Saturday 13 planes and two Mexican ships and four with firefighters, experts, foam, hoses and other vehicles have arrived from Venezuela.
Underscoring the understanding between experts from the three countries, Avalos said working with firefighters and experts from Mexico and Venezuela was “a unique experience”.
– “A very difficult moment” –
One firefighter died in the fire and 128 people received medical attention for burns and injuries, among them 20 were hospitalized. 14 more firefighters are missing.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel told the media on Tuesday that as the flames dies, the temperature drops and that we can “go inside to save the victims”, referring to casualties.
“It’s going to be a very difficult time when we have to prepare and support these families,” he added.
The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, one of the country’s most important facilities, reopened this Wednesday after two days of shutdown due to water pollution caused by a fuel leak exacerbating the crisis in electricity generation and distribution in Cuba.
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© Agence France-Press
source: Noticias
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