An electrical short circuit, caused by a deteriorating power line in the warehouse area, has been identified as the root cause of the blaze that erupted on June 3 at a facility within the "José Francisco Costa Velázquez" winery in Guanajay, located in the province of Artemisa. The site had been leased for over a year to Héctor Manuel López, a self-employed worker.
Major Yoan Rodríguez Martínez, an expert in Damage, Explosions, and Fires, who led the investigation, informed El Artemiseño that the wiring of the location, along with the electricity meter, dates back to the time of its establishment and was in extremely poor condition. He further noted that both were situated near the power line, a highly flammable material in the event of a fire, which contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
Rodríguez Martínez clarified that the fire originated from inside the warehouse and spread outward, severely damaging the warehouse infrastructure. The incident resulted in the destruction of "196 bunk panels, approximately 400 personal mattresses, around 20 bunk beds, and 100 sacks of batting, along with all the equipment used for mattress production."
The fire is believed to have started at 7:55 p.m. local time on Tuesday. To extinguish the flames, multiple resources were deployed, including two water tankers and two additional cisterns, as detailed by the investigator. Previously, El Artemiseño reported that the site was attended by forces from the Fire Department, units of the Ministry of the Interior, mobile tankers, and resources from Aguas Mariel, a company operating in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM).
Key Questions About the Guanajay Warehouse Fire
What caused the fire at the Guanajay mattress warehouse?
The fire was caused by an electrical short circuit due to a deteriorating power line in the warehouse area.
What were the damages resulting from the fire?
The fire destroyed 196 bunk panels, approximately 400 personal mattresses, around 20 bunk beds, 100 sacks of batting, and all equipment used for mattress production.
How was the fire extinguished?
To put out the fire, two water tankers and two additional cisterns were used, alongside support from the Fire Department, Ministry of the Interior units, mobile tankers, and Aguas Mariel resources.