Cuban firefighters were joined by special teams sent from Mexico and Venezuela on Sunday as they battled for a second day to control a fire that broke out at a large oil tank farm in the western province of Matanzas.
Authorities said Sunday that a body found at the scene was identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60.
The fire, which was sparked by lightning on Friday night, left another 122 injured, including five in critical condition, according to the latest update from the authorities. Officials said earlier that a team of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to put out the flames.
More than 4,900 have been evacuated, according to the Associated Press. Most of the evacuees are from the Dubrocq neighborhood, which is next to the Supertanker Matanzas base in the city of Matanzas. The facility’s eight massive storage tanks contain oil used to generate electricity.
FIRE AT OIL FACILITY IN CUBAN LEAVES 1 DEAD, 121 INJURED: SERVICES
People watch a huge plume of smoke rise from the Matanzas Supertanker Base as firefighters work to put out a fire, which started during a storm the night before, in Matanzas, Cuba, on August 6, 2022. Cuban authorities say that lightning struck a crude oil storage tank at the base, sparking a fire that set off four explosions that injured more than 121 people, left one person dead and 17 missing. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Members of the Cuban Red Cross prepare to head to the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where firefighters were working to put out a fire that started during a storm the night before, in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa )
A helicopter drops water over the Matanzas Supertanker Base as firefighters try to put out a fire that started during a storm the night before, in Matanzas, Cuba, August 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
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Thick black smoke billowed from the tank farm and spread west over 62 miles to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said the cloud contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances.
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The disaster comes as Cuba struggles with a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent blackouts hitting during a dreary summer and fuel shortages in the country. It remains unclear how much oil has burned or is at risk in the depot.
Landon Mion of Fox News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Pilar Arias is a multimedia journalist with more than 10 years of experience in broadcast, digital and print productions. It covers a wide variety of topics. @PilarFOXNews.
