After the fire that occurred this Saturday in Boca de Camarioca, near Varadero was extinguished, the authorities have revealed more details about those responsible and the conditions that led to the incident.
The fire occurred in an area where an oil pipeline runs through oil well fields, at the location known as La Conchita, where the toll station is located, a kilometer and a half inland.
According to Marcos Pestana, the general director of the Oil Drilling and Extraction Company of the Center, it all started when a neighbor used fire in his yard to clear the weeds and the wind fanned it into the adjacent underbrush.
The spread of the flames reached an area where oil had been deposited for biological degradation, and it ignited.
"There were waste materials dumped in the underbrush left over from repairing an old breakdown," detailed the Head of Occupational Safety and Health of the entity, Francisco Iván Llui Fleitas, who added that the crude oil present on the ground ignited quickly, resulting in a large plume of smoke.
He insisted that there was no damage to the pipeline, which is underground. It stopped operating as soon as the fire broke out, and once it was extinguished, it resumed normal pumping.
He specified that the nearest collection center is located two kilometers away from the site and denied that any oil well has caught fire.
The firefighters from the Matanzas and Santa Marta units extinguished the fire in the area without much difficulty.
Authorities have urged the public to handle fire cautiously in forested areas or in the presence of flammable vegetation, especially during this season when wildfires are common.
On social media, witnesses initially reported that the flames were coming from oil tanks or pipelines, but it is now known that this was not the case.
Official journalist José Miguel Solís emphasized that the incident was more dramatic due to the amount of smoke than the material damage caused. "Fortunately, local residents agree that it was more smoke than damage," he reported.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Fire in Varadero and Its Implications
What was the cause of the fire near Varadero?
The fire was caused by a neighbor who used fire in his yard to eliminate weeds, and the wind fanned the flames to an area where oil had been deposited for biological degradation.
Were there any damages to the pipeline or the oil wells in the area?
No damage occurred to the pipeline or the nearby oil wells, as the pipeline is buried and it shut down at the moment the fire started, resuming normal operations after the fire was extinguished.
What measures have been taken to prevent future fires in the region?
Authorities have urged to handle fire with caution in forest conditions or in the presence of flammable vegetation, especially during times prone to wildfires.
Why did the fire cause such alarm on social media?
The fire generated a dense column of smoke visible from several points in Matanzas and Varadero, causing concern among residents and leading to the dissemination of images and videos on social media.
Filed under:
