The bus transporting the Industriales baseball team to Pinar del Río was involved in a traffic accident on Tuesday, but fortunately, all members of the delegation emerged unscathed. The incident was confirmed at 8:00 a.m. by sports journalist and analyst Juan Carlos Guerra Alonso, known as "JuanK," who is the creator and executive director of Por La Goma, one of the most followed Cuban baseball pages on social media.
Details of the Accident
According to JuanK, the accident occurred when a car veered into the lane occupied by the blue team's vehicle, resulting in a collision. "The incident happened when a car invaded the path of the Industriales bus, causing a crash. Although the vehicle sustained significant damage, no injuries were reported among the Industriales members or others involved," the analyst explained.
Cuba Grand Slam also reported the event as a breaking news story, describing how "a car crossed into the lane and ended up hitting the vehicle carrying the players." Initially, they stated that "there is no official report yet on the incident or any possible injuries."
Photos of the accident circulated on social media, displaying the damage the bus sustained. Fortunately, as one post highlighted, "it was just a scare and nothing more."
Team's Condition and Upcoming Game
Despite the mishap, JuanK confirmed that the players, coaching staff, and team officials are all in good condition. "According to direct information, all Industriales players, along with their coaching and management staff, are in perfect health," wrote the analyst.
The team was prepared to continue their journey to the Capitán San Luis Stadium in Pinar del Río, where they were scheduled to play the first game of the sub-series against the Vegueros. "The team is well and ready to travel to the Capitán San Luis Stadium in the coming hours, where they'll face Pinar del Río in the first game of this sub-series," JuanK stated, closing his note with a message of relief: "Thankfully, it was just a scare. The most important thing is that everyone is okay!"
Industriales in the 65th National Series
The accident occurred during the third sub-series between Industriales and Pinar del Río in the 65th National Baseball Series, scheduled from October 19 to 22 in Pinar del Río's capital. Both teams are part of Group A in the tournament's Western Zone, along with Artemisa and Isla de la Juventud.
The tournament kicked off on October 4 with a reduced format of 44 games per team, down from the usual 90, due to the severe fuel crisis plaguing Cuba.
Industriales enters this sub-series as the most current team in Cuban baseball: on July 8, they claimed the IV Elite League by defeating Las Tunas 4-1 in the final series, ending a 16-year drought of national titles for the capital team.
Ongoing Transportation Issues for Cuban Teams
This Tuesday's accident is not an isolated incident. The poor transportation conditions faced by Cuban teams have resulted in similar incidents in recent years.
In June 2023, the bus of the same Vegueros from Pinar del Río crashed in Havana while transporting players to the Villa de Bacuranao hotel. In 2024, the Las Tunas Leñadores were stranded in Havana for a week due to a lack of fuel, unable to continue their tour.
As of now, there is no official report from Cuban sports authorities regarding the accident. The game between Industriales and Pinar del Río at the Capitán San Luis Stadium, which opened in January 1969 and can accommodate approximately 9,534 spectators, was slated to take place shortly after the incident.
FAQs About the Industriales Bus Accident
What caused the bus accident involving the Industriales team?
The accident occurred when a car veered into the lane of the bus carrying the Industriales team, leading to a collision. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Were there any injuries reported from the accident?
No injuries were reported among the Industriales team members or others involved in the accident.
How did the accident affect the game schedule?
Despite the accident, the Industriales team was able to proceed with their travel plans and were set to play their scheduled game against Pinar del Río at the Capitán San Luis Stadium.