An electrical transformer exploded and ignited the area near the National Revolutionary Police unit on Zanja Street, in Central Havana, on the night of Wednesday, May 6, according to images shared by El Toque that show the area engulfed in smoke and sparks.
Neighbors who recorded the incident reported that since the morning of that same day, there was already a smell of burning and signs of overheating in the equipment, indicating that the failure had been developing for hours before the explosion.
The firefighters arrived quickly at the scene to control the flames. In the video, one of the witnesses identifies the cause: "Short circuit," while another comments: "The firefighters have arrived, they're putting out the fire over there."
No injuries were reported in the initial reports of the incident. Cuban authorities did not issue any official statement regarding what happened.
The fact that the affected transformer was located next to a police facility highlights that even State structures are not immune to the deterioration of Cuba's electrical infrastructure.
The incident occurs at the worst time of the electricity crisis in Cuba in 2026. On the same day, May 6, Havana experienced service interruptions of up to 24 hours, with a maximum impact of 403 MW at 11:10 p.m. and an additional 105 MW due to unresolved emergencies.
The next day, the national electrical deficit continued to worsen and reached approximately 1,900 MW, with a availability of only 1,370 MW against a demand of 2,850 MW.
The Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant, the country's main generator located in Matanzas, had gone offline on May 5 due to a boiler malfunction, marking its eighth failure so far in 2026 and accumulating over 36 years without major maintenance.
Distribution transformers are particularly vulnerable in this context. In 2026, systematic thefts of dielectric oil have also been documented in several provinces, including Holguín, Granma, and Las Tunas, which further exacerbates the failures in the network.
This type of explosion is not new in the capital. In March 2026, a transformer explosion generated flames and intense smoke in another area of the country, also with no reported injuries.
In the municipality of Playa, Havana, 192 power outages were recorded between April 10 and April 23, 2026, a figure that illustrates the extent of the collapse affecting the capital. In light of the deterioration, the authorities themselves have come to ask the population to monitor the electrical grid due to the state's inability to keep it operational.
Cuba requires eight fuel vessels per month to sustain its electrical system, but since December 2025, it has only received one, according to statements from Miguel Díaz-Canel himself, encapsulating the extent of the energy crisis faced by the Island.
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