Victims of Fire at Cuban Gas Station in Serious Conditions

Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, Aug 30.- The burns unit at the Bruno Zayas General Hospital in this eastern Cuban city reported that 26 of all 32 victims of a large fire that occurred Tuesday in a local gas station are in serious conditions.

Provincial Public Health director Alberto Miranda said that the patients were classified into eight extremely critical cases, six critical, twelve in serious conditions and another six less serious cases. They all are being assisted by specialists, who count on the necessary material conditions.

Doctor Miranda said each case is being treated according to its particular situation, by identifying immediate complications requiring treatment, while the hospital’s burn unit was reinforced with medical material and with intensive care doctors, surgeons, orthopedic specialists and other experts.

The fire was caused after a truck ran into a gas pump producing a fast fuel leak on the gas station floor; a spark coming from a motorbike in the place set up the fire that spread to the tanks triggering the explosion, experts agreed.

The fire was extinguished by firefighters while it threatened to expand.

Local government and Communist Party authorities went to the place to oversee the activity taking place, and they later visited the hospital there the 32 victims were taken.(Radio Cadena Agramonte)