A fire that broke out at the Matanzas Supertanker Base in Cuba on 5 August 2022 reportedly came under control five days later on 9 August, after flames engulfed four of the eight storage tanks at the facility. As well as local firefighters, reinforcements from Mexico and Venezuela helped fight the blaze with boats, planes and helicopters by spraying foam on the containers.
The fire at the Matanzas base killed 16 people, including three professional firefighters and four young men combating the fire as part of their compulsory military service. 146 people were injured in the incident.
It’s feared that the damage will further exacerbate energy concerns in the country, which had already been facing daily blackouts and fuel shortages. Officials have not said how much fuel has been lost in the fire which destroyed all four tanks.
Authorities stated that no oil had contaminated the nearby Matanzas Bay, though residents were told to wear face masks and avoid acid rain due to the massive plume of smoke generated by the fire.
