A fire broke out on Wednesday afternoon, damaging the home of a visually impaired elderly man in Santiago de Cuba while he was handling an electric stove. According to the pro-government Facebook page "Santiago de Cuba al día," neighbors of the man, identified as Rogelio Arencibia, reported both the cause of the blaze and the man's health status.
The incident occurred on Calle D #29, between Estrella and Santa Bárbara, in the Jiménez neighborhood. Firefighters from the provincial department responded swiftly and managed to extinguish the fire before it spread to neighboring homes. Fortunately, there were no casualties, though the fire caused significant material damage to Arencibia's home.
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada shared a video on Facebook showing that the fire had already been put out by the fire truck. This incident follows a recent fire in an apartment in the 23 Alamar area of Havana, which happened during a nationwide blackout. The residents attempted to cook with wood due to the lack of electricity, leading to the blaze.
Recent Fire Incidents Across Cuba
A TikTok video posted by user Lidia Rodríguez detailed that two children were inside the house during the Havana fire, but thankfully, no injuries were reported. Just days earlier, a moderate fire erupted at a raw materials center in the municipality of Güira de Melena, Artemisa. Neighbors shared the event on social media, noting that the cause remains unknown.
At the beginning of the month, the Ministry of the Interior and the Fire Department successfully put out a fire at "La Francia Moderna" store, part of the CIMEX S.A. corporation in Cienfuegos, located on the city's main boulevard. The quick response from both store employees and firefighters ensured there were no injuries or loss of life, although the fire resulted in considerable economic damage, as reported by the government-affiliated newspaper Cinco de Septiembre on Facebook.