A new fire was reported on Monday night in the center of Santiago de Cuba, just six days after another incident that partially or totally affected five homes.
In this instance, the experts determined that the fire originated from a short circuit in a house that had been locked.
Aris Arias Batalla, provincial vice president of the Volunteer Firefighters Association of Cuba in Santiago de Cuba, reported this Tuesday on Facebook that the fire occurred at 533 Aguilera Street, between Clarín and San Agustín, and explained that the building had previously operated as a store and was preparing to resume its commercial offerings.
On the morning of this Tuesday, the experts determined that the direct cause of the fire was a short circuit that occurred in the area of the hall-lobby, between the false ceiling and the roof, which caused overheating in that area, Arias stated.
The report, therefore, does not directly attribute the fire to the "on and off" of the electrical service. However, the firefighter warned about the context of instability that accompanies the restoration of power and the risks it may pose alongside deteriorated electrical installations.
"We are not exempt and are aware of the existing imbalance once the electricity is turned on, low voltage, fluctuations, are elements that can contribute to these accidents," he noted.
It also specifically urged residents of old buildings to check their electrical installations due to the presence of cables with faulty connections or inadequate gauges for current loads.
Arias mentioned among them the use of rechargeable lithium batteries, power stations, and other electrical equipment that have been incorporated into Cuban households amid the prolonged energy crisis.
In this instance, the house was locked and there was no one residing in it at the time of the incident, according to Domingo Ortiz Mendoza, who was in charge of its custody.
The main material damage was concentrated in a commercial refrigerator and another domestic one, the latter being partially affected.
The rest of the resources remained protected inside a locked room that the flames did not reach, according to the report.
Neighbors reported that the electrical service was restored at approximately 7:00 p.m. and that about 40 minutes later, they began to notice a burning smell and the presence of smoke.
Firefighters from Command 1 Martí, with support from Command 4 Vista Alegre, intervened to prevent the flames from spreading and quickly managed to extinguish the fire.
The incident had already mobilized several fire crews in the heart of Santiago de Cuba on Monday night, when neither the cause nor the extent of the damages were yet known with precision.
Images released from the area showed a thick column of smoke rising above the buildings.
The fire occurred just six days after another devastating fire partially or totally affected five homes on Pasaje Soler, between Princesa and Santa Rosa streets, also in the center of Santiago de Cuba.
Related videos:
Filed under: