In recent hours, images have circulated on social media showing the moments following the serious accident at the cement factory in Cienfuegos that on Tuesday resulted in one death and five injuries, three of them serious.
The crime reporter, Niover Licea, shared a first video on Instagram that showed from a distance the initial moments after the collapse of the hopper containing chemical material.
The video, seemingly recorded by minors, showed a conversation between them where one expressed the desire to get closer to the scene of the events, while the other said no, not a chance, that the area was very dangerous because "that exploded," referring to the collapse of the hopper.
A second video, recorded through a fence, showed the moment when the body of the worker who died in the accident was being moved face down on a forklift to the location where the ambulances were situated.
Warning of sensitive images:
In the last few hours, a third and delicate video has leaked - this one clearly recorded from inside the factory - showing the moment when some workers retrieved the body and placed it in the freight lift.
The images show that the workers who carried out the rescue efforts were not wearing masks or any special clothing despite being in direct contact with a material that health professionals who attended to the injured described as "contaminating."
The analyst and writer Juan Juan Almeida, who shared the video on his Facebook profile, defended the dissemination of the images despite the complaints from some internet users who have labeled the act as insensitive towards the family of the deceased victim and have requested its removal from social media.
"Nothing is more human than the search for victims, the rescue and cleanup efforts. Or not? Explain to me one single reason why you say it is wrong. No one is identified there, no one's identity is harmed; we only see people cleaning and helping; perhaps it’s somewhat irresponsible for not having the appropriate equipment, but they do it in a spirit of solidarity. Where is the bad or the sinful in that?" argued Almeida.
"They have family, but the dictatorship has no mother! The rescuers are without the most basic protective measures, swallowing dust," stated a commentator, a viewpoint that many other internet users have echoed, highlighting the need to advocate for the protection of workers in Cuba.
What happened at the cement factory?
Ernesto Gálvez, production director of the Cienfuegos cement factory, clarified in statements to the official press that the incident occurred after the collapse of a hopper, which caused a spill of very hot material, resulting in serious burns for the injured.
Gálvez indicated that the causes of the collapse are still under investigation and mentioned that in order to ensure safety and considering the high temperature of the spilled material, the collection of debris was not scheduled until Wednesday morning, that is, the day after the accident.
Four workers remain hospitalized, as one was discharged on Thursday.
Of those admitted, Dionel Figueroa Calunga, 52 years old, has 70% burns and is diagnosed in extremely critical condition. Of the other three, one is in very serious condition, the other is serious, and a third has burns covering only 12% of his body.
The deceased was identified as Raymundo Narciso Sarría, 61 years old, who worked as an electrician at the Engineering Construction Company No. 6 (Ecoing-6).
Workplace accidents in Cuba
Deaths from work accidents in Cuba increased in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023, despite the fact that the total number of incidents decreased by 3.8% during that same period.
Although the variation in absolute numbers was only two people - 25 fatalities this year compared to 23 in 2023 - the percentage represents an 8.7% increase.
The report titled "Work Protection. Selected Indicators," published earlier this week by the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), detailed that between January and June of this year, 851 workplace accidents were recorded, which represents 34 fewer incidents than the 885 that occurred in the same period of 2023.
The sectors most affected by mortality were Transport, Storage, and Communications, with six deceased; Agriculture, Livestock, Hunting, and Forestry, with four deaths; and Manufacturing Industries, Supply of Electricity, Gas and Water, and Commerce, with three deceased each.
In May, the ONEI reported that the number of workplace accidents in 2023 had decreased compared to 2022, although the number of fatalities remained unchanged.
Last year ended with a total of 1,491 workplace accidents, which represented a decrease of 10.6% compared to the previous year.
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