Work accident in Havana claims the life of a worker at a feed factory.

A workplace accident at the Piensos Occidente factory in Havana resulted in the tragic death of Emilio Norberto Rosas García, a long-time employee of the state-owned company.

According to the independent media outlet 14ymedio, Rosas, who was between 62 and 63 years old, died last Saturday after a crane struck a wall that then collapsed on him and other workers at the Omar Cruz Trujillo Base Business Unit, located between the neighborhoods of Luyanó and Regla.

Rosas García, known among his colleagues for his dedication and willingness to work long shifts, was urgently transferred to Miguel Enríquez Hospital.

Although he initially arrived conscious, the impact of the accident caused critical injuries, including broken ribs and a punctured lung. Despite medical efforts, Rosas suffered two cardiac arrests and lost his life.

The tragic event has caused shock among family, friends, and members of the Order of the Knight of Light, a fraternal organization of which Rosas was a prominent member holding the title of Grand Luminar.

The organization authorized that his body be laid out in one of its venues in Havana, where family and friends gathered to pay their final respects.

Cuban authorities have not issued any official statement regarding the accident, and the condition of the other injured workers remains unknown.

Neighbors and acquaintances of the deceased have expressed their sorrow and made their frustration public regarding the lack of official information and the delay in the police and legal response that often accompanies such events.

Workplace accidents have increased in Cuba over the past year, raising growing concern among the population.

In early October, two Turkish workers lost their lives in a fire that broke out on a floating power station anchored in Havana Bay, an incident that also left five other Cubans injured.

At the end of August, an explosion occurred at the Carlos Marx Cement Factory in Cienfuegos. Cuban authorities reported one death, five injuries, and three people trapped.

Other recent cases include the death of a lineman from the Electric Union in March and the tragic collapse that occurred inside the chimney of the Antonio Guiteras Thermal Power Plant in Matanzas, which resulted in two workers dead and two others injured.

According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information, the number of deaths from workplace accidents in Cuba increased by 8.7% in the first half of 2024 compared to the same period last year.

This increase occurs against a backdrop of a declining workforce due to mass emigration, making the figures even more alarming, and prompting citizens to demand transparency and accountability from the authorities.