A fire reported on the morning of this Wednesday caused a thick column of black smoke in the Vía Blanca area, near the 10 de Octubre Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital, known as "La Dependiente," in Havana.
According to initial reports released by LaTijera News, the fire started in a pit where residues from two fuel tanks accumulated, which created a large smoke cloud visible from various points in the capital.
Firefighter brigades arrived promptly at the scene and managed to control the blaze, preventing the flames from reaching the main storage facilities, the report states. No casualties or significant structural damage were reported, according to witnesses and institutional sources.
Subsequently, the Hospital 10 de Octubre confirmed on its social media that the fire was "accidental" and occurred in a green perimeter area, allegedly caused by a cigarette butt discarded by an unknown person.
The fire was extinguished in less than 15 minutes by a "human chain" consisting of hospital workers, doctors, nurses, and support staff.
During the incident, the neighboring school proactively evacuated students and staff, and normal activities resumed after the flames were extinguished.
The report specified that the area where the fire started was being cleared as part of the regular cleaning and sanitation procedures for the hospital's green spaces.
After the fire was brought under control, the medical center resumed its normal operations without prolonged disruptions.
In recent months, several fires have been reported in various areas of Havana, some linked to urban dumps or poor civic practices.
In August, residents of Centro Habana set a garbage dump on fire due to the lack of waste collection, while in July, a minor sparked a fire while playing with a matchbox, causing property damage in a vacant lot.
Fire authorities have warned of the increasing risk of fires in the city and have urged the public to take extra precautions, although citizens remain concerned about the lack of effective measures and the slow response of state services in the face of such emergencies.
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