MADRID, Spain.- Three large fires recorded in different parts of Cuba this weekend left homes destroyed, families without belongings and emergency operations, with no fatalities reported so far, according to information disseminated by digital media and independent journalists.
The first of the incidents occurred on Saturday in the city of Manzanillo, province of Granma, where a house located on Cocal Street, Santa Elena neighborhood, was consumed by flames. According to reported La Tijera, A couple, a young woman and two children, ages 5 and 8, lived in the property. The fire completely destroyed the house and all its belongings, including furniture, appliances, clothing and documents. No injuries were reported. Neighbors and relatives called for solidarity to support the affected family.
A second fire occurred that same day in the municipality of Vertientes, in the province of Camagüey, where a home in the El Van neighborhood was completely destroyed. According to the La Tijera News publication, the accident began after the explosion of an electric motorcycle that was connected to a television or other electrical equipment.
The fire intensified when it hit a nearby Suzuki engine, causing a second explosion. Although no human casualties were reported, extensive material damage was reported.
The third case occurred in the early morning of February 9 in a building in the José Martí district, in the city of Santiago de Cuba. According to journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, a large fire originated in an apartment where objects, debris and materials collected from garbage cans accumulated. The magnitude of the fire forced the mobilization of several Fire Department commands and police patrols. The person who lived in the home and his mother were evacuated by ambulance to a care center. No injuries were reported, although the work continued for two days due to the presence of tires and other highly flammable materials.
Neighbors of the place assured that the situation had been reported repeatedly, pointing out that the accumulation of waste represented a health and fire risk for the community.
These three events, which occurred in less than 48 hours and in different provinces of the country, once again highlight the risks associated with the precariousness of the electrical infrastructure, the use of improvised equipment and the lack of effective controls, in a context marked by prolonged blackouts, scarcity of resources and deterioration of living conditions in Cuba.
