A devastating traffic accident occurred on Monday in Las Tunas, involving a head-on collision between a taxi and a rental car for tourists. The crash resulted in a fire in the rental vehicle, leading to the tragic demise of its occupants, according to reports circulating on social media.
Images and initial testimonies of the tragic event have been shared widely on social media platforms, indicating the death of at least six individuals. "Several users have been reporting a shocking traffic accident this Monday on the Central Road in Bartle, Las Tunas. Both the taxi and the tourist car caught fire. The tour had five passengers, and the taxi had two. All have perished. The tour was reportedly heading to Guantánamo. This information hasn’t been confirmed by official media, but we are investigating further details," stated Rolando Guerra Machín, the administrator of the Facebook group 'El Purial Holguín Cuba'.
In the absence of confirmation from authorities or state media, initial reports suggest that the occupants of the tourist rental car, presumably five individuals—including, according to some sources, a minor—lost their lives in the accident, trapped within the burning vehicle.
Additionally, reports indicate the taxi driver also succumbed to his injuries, and some sources suggest a second passenger in the taxi may have died as well, bringing the provisional death toll to seven.
"I was just informed about a horrendous accident in Las Tunas. A taxi and a tour car collided, both vehicles caught fire. There were five people in the tour car, and two in the taxi. All are deceased," shared a user from the Facebook group 'Accidentes Buses & Camiones'.
According to reports, the taxi was en route to Guantánamo. The user who reported the incident stated that their source had witnessed the scene and confirmed that all seven individuals involved had died. They described seeing "people inside the burnt-out vehicle."
"The taxi had only one occupant: Rodelio, a 44-year-old from Majibacoa," commented a user named Rubén Tamayo on social media. This information was corroborated by another user, Yulior Ferrer Escalona.
"The accident involved a rental tour car and a Las Tunas taxi, resulting in the death of its driver, Rodelio Queces, and the tour's occupants. It happened at the Bejuco junction, approximately 20 km from the municipality of Las Tunas," noted Ferrer.
As of this writing, neither authorities nor official media have acknowledged the tragedy. Details regarding the cause of the accident or the identities of those involved remain unconfirmed, though some users claim to know the victims, including Evis Gainza Córdoba on Facebook.
"The two young men from the tour car, who died on the road in Las Tunas, were my cousins. They were from Baracoa, Oriente," claimed Gainza. "One was named Danilo, the other Papin," he added in another comment.
Videos shared online captured the aftermath of the collision and the intense fire that engulfed the rental car. Local residents quickly alerted firefighters and authorities, but upon their arrival, it was too late to save the victims, with some criticizing the response time as delayed.
The accident reportedly occurred on the Central Road of Cuba, approximately 20 kilometers before reaching Las Tunas, near the Bejuco area, located 19 km west of Las Tunas and straddling both sides of the road.
"It happened on the Central Road, before reaching the Bejuco junction, about 20 kilometers before arriving at Las Tunas. It seems the Lada [taxi] driver died, along with all those in the tour car. I have no further details," mentioned another user from the Facebook group.
Key Information About the Las Tunas Tragedy
What happened in the Las Tunas accident?
A taxi and a tourist rental car collided head-on, resulting in a fire that led to the deaths of all occupants in both vehicles.
How many people died in the accident?
At least seven people are reported dead, including all five occupants of the tourist rental car and two from the taxi.
Where did the accident occur?
The accident took place on the Central Road of Cuba, near the Bejuco area, approximately 20 kilometers from Las Tunas.