A Cuban mother and her two young children, one just seven months old and the other four years old, were left homeless on Thursday, October 15, after a fire completely destroyed their humble home in the western area of Las Tunas.
The tragedy occurred around two in the afternoon when the woman had gone out with her children to gather firewood for cooking. Upon returning, she found her house engulfed in flames and her neighbors trying to put out the fire, according to a call for help shared on Facebook.
According to the publication, the mother had left a stove on outside the house before heading to a nearby dump to look for firewood.
The neighbors began to shout to alert her to what was happening and tried to extinguish the flames, but they were unable to save the small house, which was mainly built of wood and cardboard.
The fire destroyed the home and all of the family's belongings, which now requires urgent assistance to meet their most basic needs.
The photographs shared alongside the plea for help depict a devastating scene: remnants of charred wood, zinc sheets warped by heat, and debris covered in ash.
In one of the images, the mother is seen holding her baby in front of what remains of her home.
Cooking with firewood, an increasingly widespread necessity in Cuba
The tragedy occurs in a country where prolonged blackouts and difficulties in obtaining domestic gas have forced many families to turn to wood and charcoal stoves to prepare their meals.
In March, images of wood-burning stoves installed on balconies of buildings in Santiago de Cuba showed how some residents had to improvise alternatives for cooking due to the lack of electricity and fuel.
The precariousness of many homes increases the risks associated with open flame use, especially when they are built with wood, cardboard, and other flammable materials.
In February, a mother of three children lost all her belongings in a fire that occurred in Santiago de Cuba.
The woman, who was responsible for three children aged 12, 11, and five, publicly sought help after claiming that the authorities had informed her they did not have sufficient resources to assist her.
The challenges of rebuilding a home after a fire are compounded by the housing crisis that Cuba is currently facing.
According to official figures collected by the EFE agency in July 2026, the housing deficit on the island exceeds 800,000 homes.
They are seeking help for the mother and her two children
After the fire in Las Tunas, people close to the family began a call for solidarity to collect food, clothing, and essential items for the children.
Among the most urgent needs, they mention milk, diapers, and other products for the seven-month-old baby, as well as clothing and shoes for the mother and her children.
They also request mattresses, sheets, staple foods, and construction materials to help rebuild the home.
Those interested in collaborating can contact via WhatsApp at the number 51324539, publicly provided by the organizers of the call.
The publication specifies that all donations must be coordinated exclusively through that channel and warns that assistance is not managed via Facebook.
The message shared on social media invites those who cannot make donations to share the call for help so that it reaches people willing to contribute.
“Today for them, tomorrow for any one of us!” concludes the post.
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