Blood Donations Needed for Survivor of Battery Explosion That Claimed Siblings' Lives in Havana

Yordanis Javier Despaigne, the lone survivor of a lithium battery explosion that took place on Saturday in Regla, Havana, is in critical condition and urgently requires blood donations of A or B positive type. The tragic incident occurred when the battery of Despaigne's motorcycle exploded while being charged under a bed, sparking a fire that claimed the lives of Andy Casanova, aged 13, and his sister Keyla Casanova, aged 16. Keyla was the girlfriend of Despaigne, who now desperately needs the blood donations, as reported by journalist Mario Vallejo on Facebook.

According to close sources, Keyla had secretly plugged in the battery without her mother's knowledge, unaware of the tragic consequences that would follow. The blaze also injured other family members, leaving the Regla community rallying to support a mother shattered by the sudden loss of her two children.

Vallejo noted that after the accident, the home of the siblings in Regla became a gathering place for friends and family trying to comfort a mother who lost her children in an instant. The journalist urged his followers to share the information to help save the young man's life, who also resides in Regla and was severely injured by the battery explosion.

"Several similar incidents have recently been reported in Cuba," Vallejo emphasized, "mostly because motorcycle owners entrust batteries to inexperienced individuals for repairs, as purchasing a new one is nearly impossible for the average Cuban due to its cost."

However, Vallejo highlighted that such incidents are not isolated in Cuba. "Since 2019, more than 3,000 fires involving motorcycles or batteries have been recorded," he stated. The rise in fires related to electric motorcycles in Cuba has alarmed both the public and authorities, who blame the misuse of equipment by citizens, compounded by the scarcity of replacement parts.

Lieutenant Colonel Jorge García Arbelo, head of the Technical Unit for Fire Prevention at the Villa Clara Fire Department, explained in an interview with journalist Henry Omar Pérez on Facebook that negligence in battery use, improper repairs, and ignoring safety guidelines are the primary causes of these incidents.

García highlighted that many users disregard manufacturers' instructions when charging their motorcycle batteries. One common and dangerous practice is connecting the batteries to power immediately after use, without allowing a cooling period of at least 30 minutes. Additionally, it is common for batteries to remain charging overnight, exceeding the recommended seven to eight hours, significantly increasing the risk of overheating and subsequently, fires.