A video circulating on social media shows a massive explosion in a house in Arroyo Naranjo, Havana, allegedly related to liquefied gas canisters.
The images, recorded by a witness from a safe distance, show intense flames consuming a low-rise masonry building, with a thick column of black smoke rising into the sky.
The exact location of the incident is a matter of dispute. Some users place it in the neighborhood of Mantilla, while at least one commentator claims it occurred in Las Lajas, both of which are part of the municipality of Arroyo Naranjo.
Cuban authorities have not issued any official confirmation regarding the causes, the number of affected individuals, or the extent of the damage.
The videos of the incident quickly spread on Facebook and accumulated thousands of views in total. Activist Yamilka Lafita and former political prisoner José Daniel Ferrer also shared images of the mishap.
Those who questioned the filming—arguing that someone was "waiting" for the explosion to record it—received clarifications regarding the sequence: "It wasn't at the exact moment; it was already on fire, they were filming the fire," explained the author of one of the posts. Another user agreed: "It's clear that the fire had already started when they began recording; the explosion happens afterwards."
Regarding the causes, several unconfirmed versions are circulating. A commentator who claims to know the area stated: "That happened in Las Lajas, Arroyo Naranjo, and thank God there were no human casualties. They were empty shells that apparently were being transported at the time of the explosion, but there was no one nearby."
Other users pointed to a possible clandestine fuel depot: "From the type of flames during the explosions, they are produced by fuels," noted one of them. Another added, "For that explosion to have happened, there must have been a significant amount of fuel or something highly flammable."
Regarding the victims, the available information indicates that there were no fatalities. "No one came out seriously injured," replied a user in response to the concerns of several followers.
One of the posts that shared the video, from the profile Elizabeth Ferrer, added that “the police are investigating it and there are even arrests”, although this claim has not been independently verified either.
The incident occurs in the context of a severe shortage of liquefied gas in Cuba and the proliferation of the black market for gas canisters, which are sold for between 45,000 and 70,000 CUP in the informal market, compared to the official price of 350 CUP set by the government in July of this year.
The gap has fueled clandestine networks for theft, diversion, and hoarding of cylinders in several provinces.
"That is the result of the black market for gas and gasoline, and we are just getting started," a commentator warned. Another was more direct: "In Cuba, there are no conditions for the private sale of fuel."
"I don't have a second of doubt that it must have been stolen bullets, or God knows what," summed up a user, reflecting the widespread distrust due to the lack of official information.
The irregular home storage of cylinders poses a documented risk. The most recent and severe incident occurred in June of this year in Rodas, Cienfuegos, where the explosion of a 45 kg cylinder collapsed three houses, damaged another 16, and left five injured, one of whom is in critical condition with burns over 95% of their body.
In that residence, five gas cylinders were found without a contract with CUPET.
Arroyo Naranjo is not unfamiliar with this type of accident: in October 2022, a gas leak explosion in the Calvario Fraternidad Popular Council, within the same municipality, left two people hospitalized.
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