Fire in Santiago de Cuba leaves an elderly woman with burns, although authorities stated there were no injuries

An elderly woman over 60 years old identified as Adriana Roselló suffered burns after a fierce fire that occurred this Saturday on Gasómetro Street, between 4th and 6th Streets, in the Mariana de la Torre neighborhood, Vista Hermosa, in the city of Santiago de Cuba.

The incident was caused by a pressure cooker left on the fire while cooking with firewood, according to local residents. The house, constructed precariously with several wooden structures, allowed the flames to spread quickly and generated a column of black smoke visible from various points in the city, explained journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada through his Facebook profile.

Adriana Roselló was initially transferred to the Joaquín Castillo Duany military hospital and, due to the severity of her injuries, was later referred to the Burn Unit of the Juan Bruno Zayas clinical surgical hospital, where she received specialized medical care.

According to Mayeta, who followed up on the incident, the condition of the injured person is serious, though she is out of danger.

The reporter also reported that officials from the Rescue and Salvage Corps hurried to publicly assert that there were no injured individuals.

A resident present at the scene recounted the difficulties in contacting the fire department. "The firefighters weren't answering the phone, everyone was calling. I'm here right now; if the fire isn't put out quickly, it's going to spread into the backyards of the houses on the staircase," he explained.

"The truth cannot be concealed by rushed versions or convenient silences. Because when the fire speaks, lies also burn," concluded Mayeta in her report.

The fire occurs in a context of structural crisis that has resulted in at least six significant fires in Santiago de Cuba between February and April, including one that left five children homeless on Gallo Street 110 and another that forced the evacuation of 12 patients from the Saturnino Lora Hospital.

The national electric deficit, with prolonged blackouts lasting over 20 hours a day, forces families to cook with firewood or charcoal, significantly increasing the risk of house fires.

This situation is compounded by the fact that, five months after Hurricane Melissa, which damaged over 106,500 homes in the province of Santiago de Cuba, only 17% had been repaired, leaving thousands of families in makeshift constructions highly vulnerable to fire.