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A new fire destroyed the Ranchón de Hershey on Friday night, located in the Versalles neighborhood in the city of Matanzas, during a blackout that affected the area.
This is the second incident recorded at that facility in less than three years, raising suspicions among local residents.
Images shared on social media depict large flames and thick smoke billowing from the ranchón while concerned neighbors looked on. A user on commented to independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada: "I don't know if it was arson, but this isn't the first time it's been set on fire."
"Confirmed, they set fire to the Ranchón de Hershey in Versailles," wrote a user on X, while another witness claimed that "it happened during a blackout, as if they had done it on purpose."
Although there is currently no official information about the causes of the fire or any potential damage to property or affected individuals, this new incident raises concerns about the recurring fires at state facilities or those linked to tourism in Cuba.
The ranchón had already been engulfed by flames in October 2022. On that occasion, the fire also took place in the early morning, and some witnesses suggested a possible intentional act at that time.
"It was from the side where there was no light... it seems there was no gas, because the firefighters were calm," said a resident who preferred to remain anonymous at the time.
Such incidents have become frequent in recent years. Between July and October 2022 alone, numerous events of this kind were reported on the island in establishments belonging to the state sector and/or linked to the military.
Among the incidents that occurred during that period, there was a fire at the El Caney cabaret in Minas de Matahambre, Pinar del Río; another at a military recreational center in Cabarroca, Pastorita, in Matanzas; and a third that took place at a ranchón adjacent to a military facility in Wajay, in the Boyeros municipality, Havana.
At the beginning of August of that year, a similar incident was reported in Holguín, when in the middle of a blackout, a fire reduced the state restaurant Rancho Villa to ashes, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre.
Also in September, another similar fire occurred at one of the roadside rest areas of Havana Club on the Vía Blanca, near Santa Cruz del Norte, in the Mayabeque province, which caused significant damage to the roof of the facility.
Many of these incidents occurred under suspicious circumstances and during power outages.
For the moment, authorities have not commented on the most recent fire at the Hershey Ranch. The recurrence of this incident at the same location has reignited concerns and questions among the residents of Matanzas, who do not rule out the possibility that it is a deliberate act.
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