A lightning-triggered fire at an oil warehouse in Cuba killed one person and left 121 others injured, five of them critically, Cuban authorities said Saturday. The Matanzas Supertanker Base in the Cuban city of Matanzas suffered explosions and raged flames during a storm on Friday night. Authorities said 17 firefighters are missing from the fire. About 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighborhood closest to the fire. Cuban officials said they sought help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector. TENNESSEE HOUSE ON FIRE, NEIGHBORS USE TRAMPOLINE TO SAVE TENANTS A helicopter carrying water flies over the Matanzas Supertanker Base as firefighters try to extinguish a fire that started during a storm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said the US offered technical assistance to put out the fire. He wrote on Twitter that the offer “is in the hands of experts for proper coordination”. President Miguel Díaz-Canel then thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers to help. A support flight from Mexico arrived in Cuba on Saturday night. Florida Firefighters Battle Massive House Fire, Suspected Arson A huge plume of smoke rises from the Matanzas Supertanker Base as firefighters work to put out a fire that started during a storm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) According to the official Cuban news agency, lightning struck a tank, sparking a fire that later spread to a second tank. Military helicopters flew overhead dropping water on the fire, while a thick plume of black smoke rose from the facility and spread west over 62 miles toward the city of Havana. Roberto de la Torre, head of fire operations in Matanzas, said firefighters were spraying water into intact tanks in an attempt to keep them cool to prevent the fire from spreading further. Members of the Cuban Red Cross prepare to be transported to the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where firefighters are working to extinguish a fire that started during a storm the night before, in Matazanas, Cuba, Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The fire comes amid fuel shortages in the country. It remains unclear how much oil was burned or at risk at the storage facility, which contains eight giant oil tanks used to fuel power plants. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
