Efforts Continue to Put Out Industrial Fire in Cuba
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Extinguishing the fire in two fuel tanks and keeping a third tank from flames are essential today to extinguish a fire that broke out on Friday in the western Cuban city of Matanzas.
First secretary of the Cuban Communist Party in Matanzas, Susely Morfa Gonzalez, informed via the social network Twitter that the fire caused by a fuel spill from the damaged tank number 52 has been extinguished.
Foam began to be poured ontank number 52 and the third tank has not caught fire, despite the heat and close proximity of the fire.
Néstor Pérez, general director of Cuba Petróleo, informed that Cuban teams are working continously with the support of two brigades of specialists who arrived last night from Mexico and Venezuela.
The official explained that the purpose would be to suffocate the flames of tank number 52, which caught fire on Friday as a result of an electrical discharge during a storm, to continue with tank number 51, which collapsed early Saturday morning, and to work on the constant cooling of tank number 50 to prevent it from catching fire.
Pérez explained that there is still a danger that this third fuel tank could catch fire due to the proximity of the flames, and to avoid this, work has been carried out in the last hours to guarantee water for its cooling.
In addition, two pumps were installed to extract water from the nearby bay and a third one will be installed this Sunday, as well as field pipes assembled by technicians of the Revolutionary Armed Forces, which will provide the necessary liquid.
Pérez pointed out that the third tank contains some 24,000 cubic meters of crude oil, but a fourth tank nearby could also be in danger if the flames advance, although it is empty.
The official also indicated that the company's tankers extracted as much fuel as possible from the area and early this morning the tanker "María Cristina" docked at the dock, with the same objective.
Perez said that after the arrival last night of the first aid from Mexico and Venezuela, the specialists from those countries and the Cuban personnel immediately began to work on the evaluation of the situation.
On Sunday morning they were engaged in tasks such as the coupling of the extinguishing systems they brought with them to increase the water supply to the affected area.
The general director of Cuba Petróleo pointed out that work was carried out during Saturday and Sunday to supply the necessary fuel to the nearby "Antonio Guiteras" thermoelectric power plant so that it can continue operating without difficulties.
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