On Tuesday night, a fire broke out at the recreational center known as El Cayuelo, located in Velasco (officially Pedro Ballester), within the Primero de Enero municipality, Ciego de Ávila. The blaze occurred during a power outage, leading to various speculations about its origin.
Local resident Obdiel Torres Guevara shared images and a video of the incident on his Facebook profile, revealing that the fire ignited while the entire area was without electricity, eliminating an electrical fault as a direct cause. "Thanks to God, neighbors helped with buckets and water from the site until firefighters arrived from Violeta, preventing the main structure from being damaged, with only the entrance corridor affected," Torres Guevara stated.
While the cause of the fire remains unconfirmed, some community members have speculated that it could be an intentional act, possibly as a form of protest. If this theory proves true, Torres Guevara expressed his disagreement, emphasizing that such actions "only cause harm and damage to the locals."
El Cayuelo serves as a popular venue for social and recreational activities among Velasco residents. So far, authorities have not released an official statement regarding the incident or the fire's causes. The swift community response, which helped contain the flames until the firefighters' arrival, has been praised by neighbors and social media users.
No injuries or significant damages have been reported, aside from the affected entrance area. An investigation is expected to be conducted in the coming days to clarify the events leading to the fire.
Key Questions About the Ciego de Ávila Fire Incident
What sparked the fire at El Cayuelo?
The exact cause of the fire at El Cayuelo has not been confirmed, but it occurred during a power outage, ruling out an electrical fault as a direct reason.
Was anyone injured in the fire?
No injuries have been reported as a result of the fire at the recreational center.
How did the community respond to the fire?
Local residents quickly responded by using buckets and available water to control the fire until the firefighters arrived, preventing more extensive damage.