A fire set off by a lightning strike at an oil storage facility raged uncontrolled in the city of Matanzas, where four explosions and flames injured 121 people and left 17 firefighters missing, Cuban authorities said.
Officials said an unidentified body had been found late on Saturday. Firefighters and other specialists were still trying to quell the blaze on Saturday at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where the fire began during a thunderstorm on Friday night, the Ministry of Energy and Mines tweeted.
Authorities said about 800 people were evacuated from the Dubrocq neighbourhood, closest to the fire. The government said it had asked for help from international experts in “friendly countries” with experience in the oil sector.
Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío said the US government had offered technical help to quell the blaze. On his Twitter account, he said the “proposal is in the hands of specialists for the due coordination”.
The disaster comes at a time when the island – with an outdated energy network and persistent fuel shortages – has faced mounting difficulties in meeting increased energy demands amid the severe summer heat.
Credit: Aljazeera.com
