Firefighters Are Battling A Large Fire At A Tank Farm In Cuba For A Second Day

The fire started Friday night when lightning struck a storage tank during a storm, and the fire spread to a second tank early Saturday, causing a series of explosions, officials said. “The mission of the day is to keep the third tank cold,” in the hope of preventing the flames from spreading to more of the site, provincial governor Mario Sabines said. Most of the fuel held in the tank where the fire originally started is believed to have been consumed, officials said. Authorities said a body found at the scene Saturday was identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60. Officials previously said a team of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to put out the flames, but it was not immediately clear if he was one of them. Conditions were still too dangerous to search for the missing firefighters, officials said. A total of 122 people were treated for injuries, including five that officials said were in critical condition. The governor said 4,946 people were evacuated, mostly from the Dubrocq district, which is next to the Supertanker Matanzas base in Matanzas city. The facility’s eight massive storage tanks contain oil used to generate electricity. Thick black smoke billowed from the tank farm and spread west more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said on Sunday that the plume contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. The disaster comes as Cuba faces a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent blackouts during a dreary summer. It is unknown how much fuel was lost in the flames. The Cuban government had appealed for help on Saturday from oil nations, and specialist firefighting teams began arriving with their equipment from Mexico and Venezuela late Saturday. They brought in helicopters and specialized chemicals to fight an oil fire. “The support (is) in preventing hazards and also helping to extinguish the fire through water and foam-based cooling,” said Mexican Brig. General Juan Bravo said upon his arrival. “We hope that more support, such as chemical material, will be available soon.” President Miguel Díaz-Canel met with the heads of teams from Mexico and Venezuela to coordinate efforts to control the fire. He later told Cuban media that he appreciated the help, as Cuba does not have the experience or resources to deal with fires of this magnitude. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said Saturday night that the U.S. government was offering technical assistance. On his Twitter account, he said that “the proposal is in the hands of experts for proper coordination.” Minutes later, the president thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of aid.

Andrea Rodríguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP

title: “Firefighters Are Battling A Large Fire At A Tank Farm In Cuba For A Second Day " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-13” author: “Albert Daniels”

The fire started Friday night when lightning struck a storage tank during a storm, and the fire spread to a second tank early Saturday, causing a series of explosions, officials said. “The mission of the day is to keep the third tank cold,” in the hope of preventing the flames from spreading to more of the site, provincial governor Mario Sabines said. Most of the fuel held in the tank where the fire originally started is believed to have been consumed, officials said. Authorities said a body found at the scene Saturday was identified as firefighter Juan Carlos Santana, 60. Officials previously said a team of 17 firefighters had gone missing while trying to put out the flames, but it was not immediately clear if he was one of them. Conditions were still too dangerous to search for the missing firefighters, officials said. A total of 122 people were treated for injuries, including five that officials said were in critical condition. The governor said 4,946 people were evacuated, mostly from the Dubrocq district, which is next to the Supertanker Matanzas base in Matanzas city. The facility’s eight massive storage tanks contain oil used to generate electricity. Thick black smoke billowed from the tank farm and spread west more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) to Havana. The Ministry of Science and Technology said on Sunday that the plume contained sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and other toxic substances. The disaster comes as Cuba faces a severe economic and energy crisis, with frequent blackouts during a dreary summer. It is unknown how much fuel was lost in the flames. The Cuban government had appealed for help on Saturday from oil nations, and specialist firefighting teams began arriving with their equipment from Mexico and Venezuela late Saturday. They brought in helicopters and specialized chemicals to fight an oil fire. “The support (is) in preventing hazards and also helping to extinguish the fire through water and foam-based cooling,” said Mexican Brig. General Juan Bravo said upon his arrival. “We hope that more support, such as chemical material, will be available soon.” President Miguel Díaz-Canel met with the heads of teams from Mexico and Venezuela to coordinate efforts to control the fire. He later told Cuban media that he appreciated the help, as Cuba does not have the experience or resources to deal with fires of this magnitude. Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said Saturday night that the U.S. government was offering technical assistance. On his Twitter account, he said that “the proposal is in the hands of experts for proper coordination.” Minutes later, the president thanked Mexico, Venezuela, Russia, Nicaragua, Argentina and Chile for their offers of aid. ——— Andrea Rodríguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP