The collapse of an abandoned structure in San Juan de los Remedios, Villa Clara, triggered a high-complexity rescue operation this Wednesday in which firefighters deployed drones to locate the trapped individuals among the rubble.
According to Susely Morfa González, the first secretary of the Provincial Committee of the PCC in Villa Clara, it was estimated that three people were inside the building when the collapse occurred. "Firefighters, Red Cross, and SIUM on site," she wrote on her X account.
The Provincial Fire Command used drones for the precise geolocation of the missing persons, a technique that had already been employed in Cuba after the explosion of the Saratoga Hotel in 2022 and in other similar emergencies.
The work was categorized as "highly dangerous and complex" by the authorities, given the conditions of the collapsed building. Cranes, shovels, and heavy machinery for debris removal were concentrated at the site, while medical teams and several ambulances stood by, ready to assist the survivors as soon as they were extracted.
Unconfirmed reports circulating on social media from local pages mentioned up to 14 people trapped and two bodies already recovered, although the same sources cautioned that this was preliminary information subject to change.
The unofficial identification of the property indicated it as the former ESBEC No. 1, known as "La 1," on the road to Rojas.
Unconfirmed local sources also indicated that some of the people present in the building were extracting iron and other construction materials when the collapse occurred, a widespread practice among Cubans in economically vulnerable situations that increases the risk of collapse in already deteriorated structures.
The collapse in Remedios adds to an alarming pattern that is occurring across the island. Just ten days earlier, two men were trapped in the collapse of a building in Colón, Matanzas, and both were rescued alive.
In Havana, approximately 1,000 buildings collapse each year, and the national housing deficit exceeds 800,000 homes, reflecting decades of neglect and lack of maintenance under the dictatorship.
The highest authorities in the territory were present from the beginning of the emergency, overseeing the actions. Meanwhile, the families of those trapped received psychological support while waiting for news about the outcome of the operation.
The information about the rescue remained ongoing at the close of this report.
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