Remains of four more fire victims found in Matanzas, Cuba

Matanzas, Cuba, Aug 12 (Prensa Latina) Cuban specialists today found the remains of four more victims of the fire at the crude oil base in this city, it was reported at a meeting led by President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel.

The search for the victims of the incident began this day with seven teams of Legal Medicine and other specialties, who intervened in two of the four quadrants defined for the task, said Minister of Public Health José Ángel Portal.

The working groups began their work around 07:30, minutes after the incident was declared extinct.

The second chief of the Extinction Department of the Cuban Fire Brigade, Alexánder Ávalo, expressed in the meeting that, nevertheless, full vigilance is maintained over the place, based on the possibility that new fire resurface, due to the spilled fuel and high temperatures.

Portal confirmed that 22 people remain hospitalized, including four critical, three serious and 16 of care, reaffirmed that so far no people with respiratory conditions have been reported in the provinces near the incident.

The meeting included in its agenda the analysis of the electricity generation situation in the country, which is currently characterized by a deficit of around 835 megawatts, however, the start of the synchronization process of the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant is expected.

In this regard, President Díaz-Canel specified the need to ensure the supply of water and staggered work in the cycles of maintenance and entry of energy generators on the island.

The Governor of Matanzas Mario Sabines thanked the support and solidarity received and pointed out as an example of this the more than one hundred donations and around 830 thousand pesos sent by different means.

During the weekend, progress will be made in the recovery of the damaged industrial zone and surrounding areas, in addition to continuing environmental monitoring, the recovery of vitality in fuel logistics and power generation, as well as the search for other missing victims.