An automobile collided with a bicycle on Tuesday morning in Puerto Padre, Las Tunas province, injuring five people, among them a one-year-old girl. Official sources have identified the injured as Xiomara Rodríguez Filantro, Daniel Pérez Pérez, Raúl Pérez Machado, Edel Ramírez Garcés, and the young Nasly Pérez Fernández.
All five were swiftly transported to the Guillermo Domínguez López General Teaching Hospital in Puerto Padre. The Integrated Medical Emergency System was activated, and a multidisciplinary team provided immediate care, according to a report from Radio Victoria.
Two of the injured required further medical attention at provincial hospitals. Journalist Rosa María Ramírez Reyes shared on Facebook that one patient was taken to the Ernesto Guevara Provincial Hospital in the provincial capital, while the child was transferred to the Martires de Las Tunas Pediatric Hospital due to a "cerebral concussion without neurological involvement at the time of care, alongside facial swelling," as explained by Dr. Renato Almaguer Bosch, a Pediatric specialist.
Initial reports from Facebook groups describe how the Lada-brand car allegedly lost control and hit a man and a child on the bicycle, causing severe injuries as the vehicle reportedly "landed on them." However, this account has not been officially confirmed. Authorities have yet to disclose details about the cause and circumstances of the accident, which occurred near the Bosque del Amor and the Electromedicine Workshop, along the road to the hospital.
Images and footage from the crash site reveal the car overturned and the bicycle completely destroyed. Online comments have highlighted the poor condition of the road in the area, while others speculated that excessive speed or the Lada's mechanical issues might have contributed to the accident. As of the latest update, authorities have not provided new information regarding the condition of the injured.
This incident adds to the alarming number of road accidents in Cuba, many of which involve cyclists, who are among the most at-risk groups on the nation's roads.
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What caused the accident in Las Tunas?
The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation, but eyewitnesses have suggested that the car lost control and collided with a bicycle. Official confirmation is pending.
Where were the injured individuals taken for treatment?
The injured were initially taken to the Guillermo Domínguez López General Teaching Hospital in Puerto Padre. Two of them required transfer to other provincial hospitals for specialized care.
Who is investigating the accident?
The local authorities are responsible for investigating the accident to determine the specific causes and circumstances surrounding the incident.