Lázaro Rojas, father of soldier Brian Lázaro Rojas Long, shared his heart-wrenching grief over the loss of his son, one of 13 individuals who perished in the explosion of a military warehouse in the town of Melones, part of the Rafael Freyre municipality in Holguín. Brian was set to celebrate his 19th birthday on January 16th. "The emptiness, the pain of losing a child never goes away. Tomorrow he would have turned 19... How much sorrow for me and our family," the mourning father expressed on Facebook after it was officially confirmed by the Ministry of Revolutionary Armed Forces (MINFAR) that those missing in the January 7th incident were deceased.
"My beloved son, a piece of me, may you and your companions rest in peace, who faced danger head-on! I extend my condolences to the families, friends, and communities standing in solidarity with this loss," Rojas conveyed. The young man was among nine military recruits and four Cuban army officers—two majors and two junior officers—who succumbed to the explosions sparked by a fire at the military installation.
Tragic Loss in the Line of Duty
The group of 13 was attempting to contain the blaze "in order to prevent its spread," according to official reports. On the same day, January 7th, a total of 1,245 people were evacuated from Melones as a precautionary measure to ensure their safety amid the multiple explosions at the munitions depot.
As of this Wednesday, eight days post-incident, authorities remain unable to access the location where the 13 missing individuals are presumed to be. The extreme difficulty of the terrain, compounded by the explosions, accumulated gases, and severe structural damage, presents a genuine risk of collapse, according to the officials. A statement released by MINFAR on Wednesday explained that the investigation team concluded the site of the accident remains inaccessible, thereby eliminating any possibility of survival there.
Electrical Fault Suspected
The military command's statement also indicated that the likely cause of the disaster was an electrical failure, attributed to a short circuit inside the facility. Families of the deceased were informed of this outcome. The government's silence since the incident had provoked outrage among the victims' families, who accused officials of negligence and a lack of urgency in initiating rescue operations and providing updates on the investigation.
The preliminary report, prior to Wednesday's statement, was presented by Joel Queipo Ruíz, the first secretary of the Party in the province. He confirmed that the risk of further explosions had prevented authorities from entering the military unit area to search for the missing 13. Although the regime's official reports have not specified, many on social media assert that the nine soldiers involved were young men fulfilling their mandatory military service in Cuba.
This tragedy echoes previous losses of young lives in similar incidents, such as the August 2022 fire at the Matanzas Supertanker Base, where several young conscripts serving as firefighters perished.
FAQs About the Holguín Explosion
What was the cause of the Holguín explosion?
The explosion was likely caused by an electrical failure due to a short circuit within the military facility.
How many people were affected by the explosions in Holguín?
Thirteen individuals, including nine military recruits and four officers, were killed. Additionally, 1,245 people were evacuated from the area for safety reasons.
Why were the authorities unable to reach the site of the accident?
Authorities cited extreme terrain conditions, accumulated gases, and structural damage as reasons that made the site inaccessible and dangerous for rescue operations.