A large fire that broke out Monday afternoon in a department store in the eastern city of Camaguey claimed the life of a firefighter and caused considerable damage.

Firefighter Alejandro Cliville Sariol died and eight others were injured, including six firefighters, a worker of the SEPSA security company and an employee at the shop.

Top authorities of the local government and the Communist Party headed by First Secretary Julio Cesar Garcia Rodriguez were at the scene. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.

Jesus Garcia Collazo, head of Civil Defense for the province of Camaguey, told the press that the immediate participation of the population in support of the firefighters was vital. He spoke about the complexity of the situation with the department store housing numerous inflammable products and located in a dense urban setting in the middle of the historic quarter of Camaguey.

After calling the fire the worst of its kind in recent years, Garcia said the El Encanto, the largest department store of the province, would be repaired and back in business in the shortest possible time.

Five contingents of firefighters took part in combating the blaze, three from the city and the others from the municipalities of Vertientes and Nuevitas. A group of forest rangers also took part. Workers from several institutions and Ministry of the Interior troops worked to keep the fire from spreading to other businesses and apartments.

(www.cubanews.ain.cu)