A new fire originating from the makeshift dump in front of the Parish of San Judas Tadeo and San Nicolás de Bari, in the Los Sitios neighborhood of Centro Habana, destroyed the side door of the temple this Wednesday, according to a report published on Facebook by Brother Ernesto Cuba, Sch.P., a member of the Escolapia community that manages the church.
"The Parish of San Judas Tadeo has just lost its side door due to a new fire at the dump this afternoon. This is the result of abandonment by the Government of Havana, primarily from Centro Habana, as well as the Party and other communal authorities, who have not fulfilled their promises," wrote the religious figure.
This episode marks at least the fifth fire recorded in the parish during 2026, all caused by the burning of accumulated trash in front of the historic temple.
The first incident occurred on April 9, when the flames charred the main door of the church.
Weeks later, on April 23, the makeshift dump caught fire again, and the toxic smoke affected neighbors, the elderly, children, and worshippers; on this occasion, the firefighters did not respond to the call.
On June 19, a third fire also destroyed the side door of the temple —the same one that is now lost again— and by July, the fourth incident of the year was already recorded.
The damage from the fire was compounded by theft: on July 19, thieves stole the solar lamps that the community had installed to keep the religious space illuminated and safe.
The backdrop of this series of incidents is the collapse of the waste collection system in Havana, worsened by the fuel crisis affecting the Island.
Since early 2026, only 44 out of 106 collection trucks were operational due to a lack of diesel, while the capital generated between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of garbage daily, with up to 23,814 cubic meters left uncollected each day.
The neighborhood of Los Sitios has been one of the hardest hit by this crisis. At the beginning of September, Los Sitios was highlighted as another Havana neighborhood trapped by garbage and neglect, with piles of waste blocking intersections and creating recurring fire hazards.
The Escolapian community has reported the situation to the Government of Havana, the Communist Party, and local authorities on multiple occasions, without receiving an effective response.
The Parish of San Judas Tadeo and San Nicolás de Bari, located at San Nicolás 830, is one of the oldest historic temples in Centro Habana: its origins date back to the 19th century, and it has been administered by the Calasanz Fathers since June 1961.
The fire this Wednesday confirms that, despite the repeated promises from the authorities, institutional neglect persists and continues to damage a religious and historical heritage that no unfulfilled promise can restore.
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