HAVANA, Cuba (CMC) – Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel on Saturday visited the Faustino Pérez Hospital to visit the victims of Friday’s oil tank explosion in the industrial zone of the city of Matanzas.
The official Cuban News Agency said lightning hit one tank, starting a fire, and the blaze later spread to a second tank.
The provincial government of Matanzas on Saturday said the number of injured had reached 77, while 17 people were missing.
Military helicopters were seen flying overhead dropping water on the blaze, following which a column of black smoke billowed from the facility and spread westward more than 100 kilometers (62 miles) toward the capital Havana.
Seven of the injured were taken to Calixto García Hospital in Havana, which has a prominent burn unit.
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