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With the report of a second explosion during the celebration of the Guayos parrandas in Sancti Spíritus this weekend, the total number of injured in the festivities has risen to nine, two of whom are in critical condition, which poses a significant risk to their lives.
At the last hour on this Monday, the official newspaper Escambray confirmed that there were two accidents involving fireworks during the popular festival: one in the early hours of Saturday in the La Loma neighborhood, and another on Sunday in a location that was not specified.
Of the six men who were injured in the first incident, one is reported to be in extremely critical condition and another in critical condition, “with high risk to life,” according to specialized sources cited by the newspaper.
The second accident, at dawn on Sunday, was also related to the handling of fireworks and resulted in three injuries, who were taken to the Camilo Cienfuegos Provincial Hospital, where they arrived around eight in the morning that day.
Dr. Tatiana Hernández González, second-grade specialist in Plastic Surgery and Trauma at the healthcare center, reported that “one of them is in critical condition in intensive care”, while the other two have been discharged from the Observation Room.
In total, there are six patients currently admitted to the hospital: two in critical condition, three in serious condition, and one reported as less severe.
"Until now, all supplies and medications for the care of the victims of both accidents are guaranteed," assured Dr. Hernández.
Escambray did not specify the names or ages of the three individuals injured in the second explosion.
This Monday it was revealed that one of the critically injured victims is Yohan Piñeiro Santana, 36 years old, who was watching the fireworks display when the explosion occurred in the La Loma neighborhood, according to a family member who spoke to the station Martí Noticias.
Piñeiro has severe burns on his face, arms, and feet, which leave him in critical condition.
The young man's family reported that the accident occurred when one of the firecrackers they had launched fell into a bag of mortars and exploded.
"There they knew the danger that existed, what they were going into... They really enjoy that because it's like a tradition," he stated, but clarified that Piñeiro "wasn't throwing" fireworks, but rather watching them, "because he likes to see them up close… right from there."
The Parrandas de Guayos, declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation in 2013 and recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2018, celebrated their centenary this year.
As is tradition, in the months leading up to the celebration in November, the locals unleash their creativity and ingenuity to compete in a friendly rivalry divided into two neighborhoods: La Loma (represented by the goat and the color red) and Cantarrana (identified by the frog and the color green). This includes floats, congas, fireworks, and parades that bring together thousands of people from all over Cuba.
The current edition was scheduled for early November; however, it was postponed by the municipal government of Cabaiguán, which caused significant dissatisfaction among the residents.
Local authorities cited economic, health, and social sensitivity reasons due to the national situation following Hurricane Melissa, which devastated eastern Cuba, as well as the critical epidemiological context due to the circulation of various arboviral diseases.
Many Guayanese considered the suspension unjustified and interpreted it as a lack of political will to support popular cultural expressions amidst the widespread crisis in the country. However, it was ultimately approved to take place this weekend.
The accidents involving fireworks are common during these types of celebrations in Cuba. In 2018, during the festivities in Camajuaní, Villa Clara, two men suffered severe burns. At the end of 2017, during those held in Remedios, in the same province, a fire in a fireworks storage facility injured 39 people, eight of them critically.
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