Tragic Oil Truck Accident in Santiago de Cuba Leaves One Dead, Two Injured

In Santiago de Cuba, a tragic accident occurred on Thursday when an oil truck overturned on kilometer 6 of the El Cobre highway, resulting in one fatality and two injuries. Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta reported via Facebook that two of the vehicle's occupants were taken to a hospital, while the third was trapped beneath the tanker and died instantly.

As of this report, the identities of the injured individuals and the deceased have not been disclosed. The aftermath of the accident was further complicated by the spilling of the oil, which attracted a crowd eager to collect the commodity in buckets and containers amidst the severe oil shortage nationwide.

The scene underscored the desperation for a product largely absent from Cuban homes for months, highlighting the tragic backdrop of the incident. Mayeta noted that shortly after, officers from the National Revolutionary Police (PNR) arrived to disperse the crowd and secure the area.

The sight of people gathering oil at the scene of such a tragedy sparked a wave of social media reactions, many expressing outrage and sorrow. "Someone died and people are lamenting the lack of oil. Cubans are becoming more insensitive every day," wrote user Lesvia Rigueira, capturing the discomfort many felt about the perceived loss of collective empathy.

Other commentators pointed to the broader social and political situation driving such behavior. "While many seize on misfortunes to get what they need, the most painful loss here is that human life. But this failed government must end," remarked Félix Vinent Tamayo.

Deisy Torres Sánchez lamented the absence of empathy: "We are losing our empathy; no one mourns the human factor affected in the accident, only the oil. Recovery for the injured, RIP to the deceased, and strength to their families and friends."

Alfredo Pérez Álvarez described the scene vividly: "I just passed by, and it's terrible. People are collecting oil contaminated with petroleum and blood—it’s the last straw."

This incident follows a series of accidents in Cuba. Last Sunday, a traffic accident in Camagüey involved a health sector official who escaped unscathed. The collision happened on the central highway when a state vehicle hit an electric motorcycle, causing significant damage to both. Additionally, on Tuesday, a man died in Havana after a motorcycle collided with a truck in Arroyo Naranjo. The accident occurred in the morning, and the victim, a motorcyclist, was left on the road. Moreover, another accident in Holguín on Thursday claimed two lives and injured two others when a car and a bus collided, as evidenced by the images from the scene.