A large fire broke out on Sunday night in the municipality of Yaguajay, in the province of Sancti Spíritus, engulfing the rented bar "El Refugio" and at least five nearby homes, according to residents who confirmed the news on social media.
The incident occurred at the central corner of Meneses, where the fire spread quickly due to the building's structure and combustible materials.
In images shared by neighbors, flames can be seen completely engulfing the roof of the establishment, while dozens of people gathered in the street witnessing the disaster.
Despite the magnitude of the fire, no human losses were reported, although several families lost everything. “A large fire is reported in our town Yaguajay,” wrote a user in the group Facebook ‘Revolico Yaguajay 2025’.
The firefighters arrived to extinguish the flames, supported by forces from the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) and local authorities. Neighbors in the area also joined the efforts in a desperate attempt to contain the fire before it continued to spread.
The bar "El Refugio" was a regular meeting spot in Yaguajay, and its destruction has caused sorrow in the community. Families affected by the loss of their homes are now waiting for state support to cope with the situation.
So far, the causes that led to the fire have not been specified, but the material damage is significant. The speed at which the flames spread raises concerns about the vulnerability of many buildings in the area, where construction conditions and a lack of resources for fire prevention exacerbate the risk of similar tragedies.
The nearly 13,000 residents of the Yaguajay community woke up in shock after a night marked by fire and neighborly solidarity, in an episode that highlights the fragility of infrastructures and the urgent need for more effective safety measures.
A wave of fires strikes families and iconic spaces in Cuba
The fire that occurred at the bar “El Refugio” in Yaguajay adds to a series of recent incidents that have affected both vulnerable families and heritage institutions across various provinces in the country.
At the end of August, in the town of San Pedro, Guantánamo, a mother and her four children found themselves in complete despair after a fire reduced their wooden home to ashes.
The woman, identified as Nairiusky López Durán, lost all her belongings while she was at the river washing clothes, due to the lack of water in the area. The tragedy prompted a supportive mobilization from neighbors and friends, who came with food, clothing, and financial donations.
Days earlier, another family from Morón, in the province of Ciego de Ávila, suffered the same tragedy. A mother and her two young children lost their home and all their belongings in Reparto Peñaranda, after the flames consumed their house and left behind only charred rubble. Relatives reported that the fire may have been intentional, which heightened the community's distress.
Not only families have been affected. In early August, the historic Major Parish of Sancti Spíritus — the oldest Catholic temple in Cuba — suffered a small fire caused by the explosion of lithium batteries. Although the fire was quickly controlled and caused no structural damage, the incident raised concern due to its status as a 17th-century heritage site.
These events reflect a concerning trend in the country: the increase in fires that leave behind material and emotional devastation. Factors such as prolonged blackouts, the use of makeshift solutions for cooking or lighting, and the precariousness of many structures raise the risk of similar tragedies recurring in any corner of the island.
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