Cuba makes progress in controlling fuel farm fire

A helicopter pours water at the site where a fire broke out at a fuel storage facility in Matanzas Province, Cuba, on August 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Str)

Firefighters made progress controlling areas still burning and are protecting the four remaining fuel tanks located about 150 meters from the site, while the blaze remained confined to the initial area.

HAVANA, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Specialists and firefighters from Cuba, Mexico and Venezuela are making progress in controlling the fire at a fuel storage facility in Matanzas Province, according to reports from local authorities on Wednesday.

The fire was triggered by a lightning strike on a tank containing 26,000 cubic meters of Cuban oil on Aug. 5, and later consumed three nearby tanks, leaving one dead, 14 missing and 125 injured.

Several Cuban Army aircraft continued to pour water over the site, while a Mexican Navy helicopter made a reconnaissance flight Wednesday morning to determine the extent of the damage.

Meanwhile, two Mexican ships launched powerful jets of seawater from Matanzas Bay to extinguish some pockets of flames and cool the area, while a Venezuelan hydraulic pump supplied water with chemical foam for the same purpose.

Firefighters made progress controlling areas still burning and are protecting the four remaining fuel tanks located about 150 meters from the site, while the blaze remained confined to the initial area.

According to authorities who detailed the next step of operations, the flames will be attacked with five water pumps, incorporating the fire departments from other Cuban provinces, and Venezuelan and Mexican brigades. ■