Photo: @SantanaMiriel/ Twitter

Shortly after 11:30 pm this Sunday, a strong explosion was felt in the industrial zone of Matanzas.

The second fuel tank collapsed, after burning for almost 40 hours, causing a huge mass of fire that lit up the entire city of Matanzas and was seen even on the Malecón in Havana.

It has not yet been possible to specify the current situation of the third fuel tank.

Another tragic night after incident, which began on the night of Friday, August 5, at crude oil storage tank 52, and has claimed the life of one person so far, with another 16 missing.

Three of the eight tanks that the base has have been affected, which has generated the loss of millions of liters of crude oil and fuel oil stored in those tanks.

The inhabitants near the industrial zone of the maritime city, located in the northwest of Cuba, have been evacuated and strict surveillance is maintained on the conditions that could lead to evacuation in other areas.

The city is not in danger so far, authorities have declared.

Cubadebate will continue to report minute by minute on all its platforms: #FuerzaMatanzas #FuerzaCuba.

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2:00 - Fire Mushroom

Explosion this Sunday night in Matanzas.

Photo: @SantanaMiriel/ Twitter

✒ Ricardo Ronquillo Bello

Rarely has a deposit meant so much to the hope of a city.

Those of us who share these hours with the people from Matanzas felt that the salvation of tank three, in the industrial zone of the city, for hours and hours resisting the breakdown despite the flames and heat that sprouted from tank two, would mean the first great triumphant game about an incident that has the country in suspense since Friday nightfall.

That encouragement had been reinforced by a message on networks, in the middle of the afternoon this Sunday, from Suselys Morfa, the main territorial political leader, who arouses so much sympathy for her leadership in these hard days.

There were not a few who from the four corners of the City of Bridges followed the force of the flames and the direction of the dense and dark column of smoke

, followed by a fungus of fire and an acid, hot and blinding glow that has already shocked them on two previous occasions.

A tour of the busy and tense industrial zone, at the edge of eight o'clock at night, took away the strength of optimism.

While the Cubans responsible for dealing with this crisis insisted on accelerating the measures to stop the incident, together with supportive personnel from Mexico and Venezuela,

and the imposing column of smoke.

A strong air fueled the fire of tank two, at sunset, on the dome of tank three and it was already speculated that it was giving way in some of its parts.

A brief stay at the specialized fire station closest to the fire, which had become a kind of general staff and a place of rest and relief for these combatants, increased the alarm.

However,

, away from the already fragile dome of the tank three by that time.

The terrifying mushroom of fire that would be repeated about two hours later, at the edge of dawn, would be the definitive lesson that in the face of accidents of this nature and magnitude, not only good wishes are enough.

The people of Matanzas and the country seem to be facing, from the moment that third disheartening fungus of fire and explosion was unleashed, what would seem to be the most compromising and challenging phase of this accident.

Photo of the moment of the Explosion in #Matanzas pic.twitter.com/QbFXJLYWqy

– Miriel Santana (@SantanaMiriel) August 8, 2022

1:29 - "Lives are priority, by order of command"

From Lisandra Martín's Facebook profile a new testimony: 

— Lisandra, all of Villa Clara's 3rd command is fine, that's the first thing...

— Now I update you.

For three minutes we live our worst professional experience and I hope it will be the last of its kind.

I said it, somewhere the two was coming out.

I said it...

— The real hardliners and the drones allowed the command to realize it and the retreat to 750 meters was an order.

Two minutes later I couldn't even see my hands for about 20 seconds... All white, a roar that there are no words, there aren't...

— Then a dry explosion... deafening... I admit it, we all shout pineapples and boxes... The three with 55 MILLION liters of national crude oil... boom

— The indication was totally withdrawn at the discretion and damage report of each command unit, against personnel list.

Unit by unit... There is a technique that was in place that we lost.

But it is material damage.

It recovers.

- We're fine, still scared.

But in position 1. To what they order.

I really don't think there is much to do.

At three for now I don't think anyone will turn it off.

It will burn completely irremediably.

— We will see what is indicated, but tomorrow I will not be at home, this takes a long time.

I hope I'm wrong.

— Some colleagues have been treated, there are injuries, but not seriously.

The jewel answered, we got out of there skating tires and that goes with 4,800 liters of water...

— The landscape is bleak, the blast wave destroyed the power lines and the transformers... But it seems like daylight with the three burning... The heat is unbearable...

— God appears to be off or out of coverage area.

I'm very frustrated, but it was a scenario that could happen and it did.

— I repeat that there is not much to save, just let it burn and control that it does not get out of hand.

It is packed with millions of liters.

— Sad, but we have to continue at the foot of the canyon.

Play.

All our families already know that we are well.

Today, as I was saying, no one sleeps.

— I don't know if I can write to you again for today.

But do not worry.

I'll be fine.

Our lives are our priority by order of command.

Take good care of yourself, Lysandra.

1:17 - Thermoelectric Antonio Guiteras remains online with 219 MW of power

The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant remains online with 219 MW of power, the Ministry of Energy and Mines reported on Twitter.

Right now the situation is very complex at the #Matanzas Supertanker Base. Explosions continue to occur.

The place cannot be accessed.

CTE Guiteras online with 219 MW of power.

Equanimity and stay informed through our official media.

pic.twitter.com/yXZYSgMnKo

– Ministry of Energy and Mines of Cuba (@EnergiaMinasCub) August 8, 2022

1:15 - Hospital Faustino Pérez has received three patients with minor injuries without danger to life

Speaking to television, the director of the Comandante Faustino Pérez Surgical Clinical Hospital, Taimy Martínez, confirmed that so far

Two hours ago, all the personnel were mobilized to give a timely response to any situation that requires it, the multidisciplinary teams are active and the resources guaranteed.

1:01 - Favorable conditions for the smoke to spread through Matanzas, Mayabeque and Havana

According to the

the GOES-E meteorological satellite has also detected the strong explosion that occurred at the Matanzas Super Tanker Base, and the high temperatures recorded there.

The weather conditions are favorable so that

0:56 - FEU of the University of Havana calls on students to support Matanzas

The FEU of the University of Havana calls on the students of the house of higher studies who are in Matanzas to lend a hand to their classmates at the Matanzas university.

According to their social networks, tomorrow they need

For more information contact: Randy, president of the FEU of the Faculty of Technical Sciences of the University of Matanzas +535 5297784

0:40 - Stay protected from inhaling toxic smoke from the fire

0:38 - The first wounded arrive at the Faustino Pérez Hospital

Journalist Boris Luis Alonso reports from the Comandante Faustino Pérez Surgical Clinical Hospital the arrival of the first injured in tonight's collapse.

A hundred doctors and health personnel are already in emergencies to receive them.

0:19 - Key West radar detects cloud of smoke from the explosion

According to the

Telegram channel , the meteorological radar of Key West (USA) has detected the dense and deep cloud of smoke derived from the most recent and strong explosion that occurred minutes ago at the Matanzas Supertanker Base.

Cloud from the explosion a few minutes ago in #Matanzas Bay is observed by Cayo Hueso radar.

pic.twitter.com/fvWmJdDU19

– Elier Pila Fariñas (@elierpf) August 8, 2022

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