A new fire originating from the makeshift dump next to 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 on Wednesday, according to a public complaint by Brother Ernesto Cuba, Sch.P., a member of the Escolapian community that manages the church.
"The Parish of San Judas Tadeo has just lost its side door due to a new fire in the landfill this afternoon. This is the result of the neglect by both the Government of Havana, particularly in Centro Habana, the Party, and the Municipal authorities. They have not fulfilled their promises," the cleric wrote on his Facebook page.
This is at least the fifth fire recorded in the parish during 2026, all caused by the burning of accumulated trash in the areas surrounding the 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 that occasion, the firefighters did not respond to the call.
In the early hours of June 19, a third fire destroyed one of the side doors of the temple, and in July, the fourth incident of the year was recorded.
Fire damage was compounded by theft: on July 19, thieves stole the solar lamps that the community had installed to keep the religious site illuminated and secure.
The backdrop of this series of incidents is the collapse of the waste collection system in Havana, exacerbated by the fuel crisis affecting the country.
Since early 2026, only 44 out of 106 garbage trucks were operational, due to a lack of diesel, while the capital produced between 24,000 and 30,000 cubic meters of waste per day, with up to 23,814 cubic meters uncollected daily.
At the beginning of September, Los Sitios was highlighted as one of the neighborhoods in Havana trapped by garbage and neglect, with mountains of waste blocking intersections and creating recurring fire hazards.
The Escolapia 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 830 San Nicolás Street, is one of the oldest historic temples in Centro Habana: its origins date back to the 19th century, and it has been managed 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 harm a religious and historical heritage that no broken promise can restore.
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