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Raging fire consumes fourth tank at Cuba oil storage facility

Published:Tuesday | August 9, 2022 | 11:29 AM
The Mexican military ship Bal 02 arrives to assist with battling a fire at a large oil storage facility in Matanzas, Cuba, Tuesday, August 9, 2022. The fire was triggered by lightning striking one of the facility’s eight tanks late Friday, August 5. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco)

HAVANA (AP) — Flames engulfed a fourth tank at an oil storage facility in western Cuba on Tuesday as the raging fire consumes critical fuel supplies on an island grappling with a growing energy crisis.

Firefighters and specialists from Mexico and Venezuela helped fight the blaze in the province of Matanzas with boats, planes and helicopters as they sprayed foam on the containers, a first for crews since broiling temperatures had prevented them from doing so earlier.

The fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base has killed at least one person and injured 125 others, with another 14 firefighters still missing.

It also forced officials to shut down a key thermoelectric plant on Monday after it ran out of water, sparking concerns about additional blackouts.

Those injured were treated mostly for burns and smoke inhalation.

More than 20 remain hospitalised, with five of them in critical condition.

The eight-tank facility plays a crucial role in Cuba's electric system: it operates an extensive oil pipeline that receives Cuban crude oil that is then ferried to thermoelectric plants that produce electricity. It also serves as the unloading and transshipment centre for imported crude oil, fuel oil and diesel.

The facility caught on fire late Friday after lightning struck one of its tanks, sparking several explosions as it spread over the weekend. The first tank was at 50% capacity and contained nearly 883,000 cubic feet of fuel. The second tank was full.

Officials have yet to provide an estimate of damages.

The blaze comes just days after the government announced scheduled blackouts for the capital of Havana amid a sweltering summer.

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