A trailer carrying several tons of sugar overturned on Sunday in the heart of Florida municipality, Camagüey, knocking down an electric pole and leaving hundreds of families in the Morales neighborhood and nearby areas without power.
The accident occurred around 2:30 p.m. at the intersection of República and Maceo streets, according to a report by journalist Pedro Pablo Saez Herrera on Facebook.
According to the report, the driver was trying to turn onto Maceo Street when part of the rear axle of the semi-trailer fell into the ditch that runs alongside the track.
The vehicle lost stability and overturned onto the sidewalk. The container it was carrying fell onto a power pole and knocked it down, causing a disruption of service in the area.
No injuries were reported as a result of the accident.
The efforts to remove the trailer extended for several hours due to the weight of the load. Before lifting the vehicle, it was necessary to remove part of the sugar and deploy two heavy-duty cranes to perform the maneuvers.
The work extended until after 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, according to the report from the reporter himself.
The director of the Basic Electric Organization (OBE) of Florida explained that to fully restore the service, it would be necessary to install a new pole, reconnect the cables and accessories, and check the condition of the affected lines.
According to the report, the work could last up to 48 hours, prolonging the blackout for some of the affected residents.
The accident occurred just a day after residents of the city of Camagüey reported another pole knocked down by a truck, this time on Van Horne Avenue. In that instance, residents alerted authorities about the presence of electrical cables on the road for over 24 hours.
The new outage adds to the challenges faced by residents of Florida amid the energy crisis in Cuba, characterized by prolonged blackouts due to a deficit in electrical generation.
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