Matanzas Aug. 10 (BUS): Firefighters on Tuesday finally overcame what officials described as the worst fire in Cuba’s history in five days that destroyed 40% of the Caribbean island’s main fuel storage facility and caused massive blackouts.
Reuters witnesses reported that the flames that engulfed a strip of four tanks in the Matanzas port of giant tanks had dissipated and the thick black plumes of smoke streaming from the area had waned and are now mostly grey.
Matanzas is the largest port in Cuba to receive imports of crude oil and fuel. Cuban heavy crude oil, as well as fuel oil and diesel stored on Matanzas in 10 huge tanks, are used primarily to generate electricity on the island.
Lightning struck one of the fuel tanks on Friday evening. The flames spread to a second by Sunday and engulfed the four-tank area on Monday with huge explosions and despite the efforts of local firefighters backed by more than 100 Mexican and Venezuelan reinforcements.
Firefighter Rafael Perez-Gariga told Reuters on the eve of the steam disaster that he feared the fire would affect the country’s electricity situation.
“The situation will be more difficult. If thermal power plants are supplied with this oil, we will affect the whole world, it is electricity and it affects everything,” he said.
The communist-run country, which is subject to severe US sanctions, is almost bankrupt. Frequent power outages and shortages of gasoline and other goods have already caused tension with sporadic local protests following the historic unrest last summer in July.
On Tuesday, more helicopters joined the efforts to put out the flames, along with two heat boats sent by Mexico along with heavy firefighting equipment.
At noon, Peres said: “We haven’t yet been able to reach the impact zone because of the conditions. There is combustion so we can’t risk our lives at the moment.”
Later in the day, firefighters entered the area for the first time and sprayed foam and water on the burning remains.
“Today we managed to get the fire under control,” Rolando Ficino, head of transport for the Interior Ministry, said on state television from the scene.
Officials did not say how much fuel was lost in the fire that destroyed the four tanks. Authorities stated that no oil contaminated the nearby Gulf of Matanzas. However, they have warned residents as far away as Havana to wear face masks and avoid acid rain due to the massive smoke plume created by the fire.
On Tuesday, authorities said one firefighter was killed and 14 missing on Saturday when a second tank exploded, correcting an earlier figure of 16 missing. Five others are still in critical condition.
Mario Sabines, governor of Matanzas province, 60 miles (130 km) from Havana, mocked the flames spreading like an “Olympic torch” from tank to tank, each turning into a “cauldron.”
MI