A tanker truck transporting 19,000 liters of alcohol in the town of San Germán, located in the Urbano Noris municipality of Holguín, experienced a mishap on Wednesday, causing part of its liquid cargo to spill. "The minor amount of spilled liquid is under control by specialists," stated Radio SG La Voz del Azúcar on social media. However, the exact amount of alcohol spilled and the cause of the incident were not disclosed.
Images circulating online show the aged truck carrying the liquid. Firefighters arrived at the scene to secure the area and prevent material losses and human injuries, given the flammable nature of the substance. According to a Defense Civil specialist in the municipality, a large crane was expected to arrive to lift the tanker back onto the transport truck.
Authorities from the Party, Government, Ministry of the Interior (MININT), and the AZCUBA Business Group were present at the scene. As of the latest update, no additional details about the incident, which occurred at kilometer 12 northeast of Urbano Noris, have been provided. There is also no confirmation that the tanker has been reattached to the transport truck.
The Urbano Noris Sugar Company, located in the municipality of the same name, has shifted its focus in recent years to exploiting sugarcane derivatives to offset the ongoing failures of the sugar harvest in Cuba. In November 2022, an extensive article published in the Granma newspaper mentioned unplanned revenues exceeding 200 million pesos from the company's distillery, which began producing high-quality aguardiente from molasses.
The aguardiente produced by the Urbano Noris distillery is sold to beverage and liquor companies for making rum for both domestic consumption and export. In 2022, the company proudly reported producing 1,731,762 bottles of aguardiente.
Key Details About the Alcohol Spill Incident in Holguín
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers regarding the recent alcohol spill incident in Holguín.
What caused the tanker truck to spill its alcohol cargo?
The exact causes of the incident have not been disclosed by authorities.
How much alcohol was spilled in the incident?
The specific amount of alcohol spilled has not been detailed by officials.
What measures were taken to control the spill?
Specialists and firefighters were on-site to manage and control the spill, ensuring no further material or human damage occurred.
What is the Urbano Noris Sugar Company focusing on now?
The company has shifted its focus to producing sugarcane derivatives, such as high-quality aguardiente, to compensate for the recurring failures of the sugar harvest.