A large-scale fire destroyed the headquarters of the historic Sindicato Azucarero de Báguanos in the province of Holguín, a landmark building that for decades served as a meeting point and symbol of identity for the workers and residents of the municipality.
According to reports from residents in the area, the flames spread rapidly through the structure during the night on Thursday, with no human casualties reported so far.
Neighbors and members of the fire department worked to extinguish the fire, which is said to have caused considerable material damage.
The property, known as "the heart of the community" for its historical and sentimental value, was for years the venue for union activities, cultural events, and community meetings related to the sugar industry, which shaped the economic life of Báguanos for over a century.
The local musician and writer Albert Landrove Almaguer paid a heartfelt tribute on social media, reminiscing about the years when the building served as a center for community living and neighborly unity.
With all the affection inspired by the memory of our people, I dedicate this humble melody of my soul to the emblematic Sugar Workers' Union. This sacred corner of Báguanos, silent guardian of our shared stories, he wrote.
Landrove evoked those afternoons when children ran to the union to watch television, while adults gathered later to listen to news or enjoy baseball games: “They were simple, golden times, where the Union was more than just a building: it was the beating heart of our community,” he stated.
So far, local authorities have not issued an official statement regarding the causes of the fire or the structural damage.
Neighbors mourn the loss of a place that was an essential part of the municipality's social life and demand that its memory be preserved as a local heritage.
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