Worker Falls onto Power Lines, Causing Blackout in Santiago de Cuba's Historic Center

A worker experienced a severe accident on Monday when he fell from a building on Aguilera Street in Santiago de Cuba's historic center, landing on high-voltage power lines and causing a blackout in several surrounding areas. Journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada reported on his Facebook profile that the man slipped while working at height and fell directly onto the electrical cables, sparking and immediately cutting off the power in the area.

Witnesses attempted to help him, but the first vehicle they stopped refused to offer assistance. Moments later, after agonizing in plain view on the street, another car agreed to transport him to the Military Hospital nearby. "The news is neither good nor hopeful," sources at the hospital informed Mayeta, indicating the severity of the burns and injuries from the fall. "Here is a colleague who is very nervous, it seems he died and is in the observation area," the same source relayed to the journalist.

Additionally, Mayeta shared a video reel showing the worker lying on the street as several people tried to assist him amidst the chaos following the accident. Néstor Ruiz García, identifying himself as the nephew of the injured worker, wrote, "I, being his nephew, ran desperately and very nervously. Uncle, I am deeply sorry for your death, but I could do nothing more than help you to the hospital." "Rest in peace," he added, "from your nephew and coworker."

In the comments section, a user named Leimis Figieroa reported that the person had died: "He is my neighbor. Unfortunately, his death was instant." Meanwhile, Yaritza Gorguet shared, "I was in a private car with more people, and the driver, without stopping to ask questions, immediately rendered aid. The accident victim was accompanied by a young man claiming to be his nephew and a stranger who happened to be passing by at that moment. They took him to the Military Hospital, where he arrived alive."

She added that she does not oppose the publication of content about what happened but requested sensitivity in dealing with the topic. "Ladies and gentlemen, anyone can have an accident like this. He is a human being, for God's sake," she emphasized.

In recent months, there have been multiple fatal workplace accidents in Cuba's electrical sector, particularly among line workers. In March 2024, Leonel Barroso Machín, a young employee of the UEB in Boyeros municipality, Havana, died after falling from a pole while repairing storm damage. Despite undergoing surgery, his condition worsened, and he died two days later. His case sparked solidarity among sector workers, who remembered him as a dedicated colleague.

A similar incident occurred in August of the same year when another young lineman was electrocuted while working on a high-voltage line. Reports indicated the accident happened in a work environment lacking adequate safety conditions, a common issue in the country's electrical brigades.

Meanwhile, lineman Daniel Vega de la Cruz from the Matanzas Electric Company died in March 2024 after falling from the top of a substation in San Juan. He suffered severe fractures and underwent surgeries, but a deep vein thrombosis claimed his life almost a month later. In an interview prior to his death, Vega expressed concern about the deterioration of the metal structures they work on and stressed the importance of using protective equipment.