A fire was reported in a building at the intersection of Águila and Monte streets, in the Centro Habana neighborhood, after the burning of a trash bin spread flames to an old shop that was closed.
A witness recorded the moment in a twenty-second video that was posted on Instagram by journalist Mario J. Pentón, where the burning building can be seen while the narrator describes the events in real time.
"This just happened right now at Águila and Monte. They set the dumpster on fire, and an old shop that is closed there at Monte and Águila, here in Centro Habana, caught fire too. The firefighters arrived to put it out," narrates the voice in the video.
According to the witness's testimony, the firefighters arrived on the scene to extinguish the flames. So far, no casualties have been reported and the full extent of the material damage caused by the fire has not been specified.
The affected building is described as an old construction store that was closed at the time of the fire, like many other establishments that have been shut down due to the structural damage of the older buildings in the capital.
The incident once again highlights the serious crisis of solid waste collection services in Havana, which has led residents and workers to burn the accumulated waste in the streets due to the lack of regular collection by the authorities.
This practice poses a significant risk to the neighboring buildings, many of which are in a state of advanced structural deterioration due to decades of abandonment and lack of maintenance, a situation directly linked to the neglect of the Cuban regime in managing basic services in the capital.
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