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Violent fire burns down fourth tank at Cuban oil depot

Article Author:

The Associated Press

Associated Press

Andrea Rodriguez

Havana (AP) — A fourth tank at a western Cuba oil storage facility opened Tuesday as blazes consumed a vital fuel supply. was engulfed in flames. An island grappling with a growing energy crisis.

Mexican and Venezuelan firefighters and experts used boats, planes and helicopters to help fight the fire in Matanzas state, spraying containers with foam.

A fire at the Matanzas supertanker base has killed at least one of him, injured 125 others, and left 14 of his firefighters missing. Authorities were also forced to shut down a major thermoelectric power plant after it ran out of water on Monday, raising fears of further blackouts.

Injuries were treated primarily for burns and smoke inhalation. More than 20 people have been hospitalized, five of them in critical condition.

The eight-tank facility plays an important role in Cuba's power system. The facility operates a large oil pipeline that receives Cuban crude oil, which runs to a thermal power plant that produces electricity. It also serves as an offloading and transshipment center for imported crude oil, fuel oil and diesel.

The facility caught fire late Friday after lightning struck one of his tanks, causing several explosions over the weekend. The first tank was 50% full and contained approximately 883,000 cubic feet (25,000 cubic meters) of fuel. The second tank was full.

Authorities have not yet provided an estimate of the damage.

In the heat of the summer, fires erupted just days after the government announced rolling blackouts in the capital, Havana.

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Andrea Rodriguez Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP