A strong fire broke out early Saturday morning on Enramadas Street, one of the busiest commercial arteries in Santiago de Cuba, causing significant material damage to several homes and a private business.
The incident occurred around 12:30 AM in the stretch between San Agustín and Reloj streets, just behind the Central Post Office building in Santiago de Cuba.
According to preliminary information gathered by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, several homes and private businesses began to catch fire in the bustling commercial center of Santiago de Cuba.
The fire caused great alarm among the residents and people who live or work in the surrounding area, who witnessed the spread of the flames during the early morning hours.
Mayeta Labrada specified on Facebook that several units of the Fire Department quickly responded to the scene to tackle the fire. After intensive control efforts, the fire was finally extinguished hours later.
In a post later on, he confirmed that the incident had been controlled and extinguished.
Details of the affected homes
The rescuer and activist Aris Arias Batalla also specified that the fire directly affected several homes located at numbers 521, 523, 523A, and 525 interior on Enramadas Street.
According to what was explained on Facebook, the fire is believed to have started in house number 523, where a pizzeria operated.
The material damages were distributed as follows: residence number 521 suffered partial damage; residence 523, where the pizzeria was located, was completely devastated; residence 523A was also fully destroyed; and interior residence 524 sustained partial damage.
Arias detailed that the conditions in the early morning, especially the wind, contributed to the rapid spread of the flames. However, he assured that the immediate intervention of the firefighters prevented greater damage.
In his words, "the immediacy of the firefighting forces from command 1 (Martí) and the rescue and salvage technicians from command 4 (Vista Alegre) prevented the disaster from damaging the neighboring houses."
No injuries or loss of life were reported.
Government officials and senior officers from the Ministry of the Interior were present at the scene, while specialized experts began investigations to determine the causes of the fire.
A tragedy that worsens amid the crisis
This type of incident occurs in a particularly difficult context for many Cuban families. In recent years, the risk of domestic fires in the country has increased due to the energy crisis that forces citizens to seek precarious alternatives for lighting or cooking.
The prolonged blackouts cause many people to resort to candles, improvised lamps, or homemade fuels to have some light in their homes at night.
Similarly, the scarcity of gas and power outages force many families to prepare food using charcoal, firewood, or other rudimentary methods, practices that increase the risk of accidents and disasters.
When fires occur, like the one on Enramadas Street, the consequences can be devastating.
In the midst of the economic crisis facing the country, losing a home or a small business means for many families losing their belongings, their source of income, and practically having no chance of recovering what has been lost.
The lack of resources and effective state support mechanisms leaves those affected in an extremely vulnerable situation.
As investigations continue to clarify the origin of the fire, residents of this central area of Santiago de Cuba are now facing the impact of a disaster that devastated homes and businesses in one of the city's busiest locations.
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