A fire that broke out on Sunday night at the well-known Cubos Factory in the city of Matanzas caused alarm among residents of the Playa Popular Council, especially due to the proximity of the incident to a nearby secondary school.
According to reports from local media and posts on social networks, the fire originated in a waste area of the Metal Forming Company, an industrial facility located near the Cándido González Basic Secondary School and an electrical substation in the area known as El Cocal.
Residents of the area alerted the authorities after spotting a column of dark smoke that could be seen from various points in the neighborhood, said Radio Habana Cuba journalist Yuni Moliner. The incident raised concerns among the residents, as it occurred in a space adjacent to homes and educational centers.
The Fire Department quickly arrived at the scene with at least two vehicles to tackle the flames. According to information released by the official broadcaster Radio 26 and cited by the pro-government journalist Arnaldo Mirabal, the fire was controlled within a few minutes of the arrival of the specialized forces.
Pedro Llerena, the director of the company, explained that the fire occurred in the exterior areas where industrial waste accumulates, so the main facilities of the factory were not affected.
The black smoke that alarmed the neighbors was likely caused by the burning of plastic waste stored on site, consisting of recycled materials used in production processes.
After extinguishing the fire, the firefighters removed the debris and waste to prevent the flames from reigniting. So far, no injuries have been reported, nor has there been any damage to the school or nearby homes.
The causes of the incident are still under investigation.
The Metal Forming Company, commonly known as the Cube Factory, has among its main activities the production of gas cylinders. However, this production has been affected in recent years by a shortage of raw materials, which has forced the company to diversify its activities, including the marketing of stoves made from recycled cylinders.
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