A Cuban man who died in a large-scale accident in January in Camagüey was laid to rest there, despite living in Havana at the time of his death. An independent news source, El Toque, reported that Julio Idanio Torres Vaillant was employed by the UEB Construction Unit of Minfar in Matanzas but resided in Havana.
According to El Toque, the direction of the UEB Construction Unit informed Torres's wife the day after his death that due to the "condition" of the remains and in adherence to "sanitary norms," an unnamed institution decided to bury him in Camagüey. Yanet Vaillant Machado, Torres's wife, was only informed about the grave number and the date of the exhumation, without any details on how the death certificate or burial information would be sent to her.
The family, already heartbroken by the loss, is outraged. They cannot understand why the remains could not be cremated and given to them, allowing them to say goodbye in the place where he lived. The family had hoped to receive his ashes for a farewell. Torres's daughter was especially devastated. "She searched for images of the accident on Facebook but couldn't bear to look at them again. It was a mistake because she saw her 'daddy' and the destroyed blue bus 4014," she said.
Having worked at the construction company for just three months, Torres Vaillant was asleep in a front seat of the bus when the driver collided with another bus in Camagüey. The tragic crash occurred on January 10 on the highway to Florida municipality around 7:00 PM when two Yutong buses collided at the Western Bypass of Camagüey, near the embarkation point heading westward.
One bus was a Transmetro on a leasing system from Songo La Maya, Santiago de Cuba, while the other transported workers from a Military Construction Unit. Julio died at the scene, and about 61 others sustained serious injuries. Furthermore, three additional individuals succumbed to their injuries in the following days. At the UEB Construction Unit of Minfar in Matanzas, Torres was responsible for transporting various construction workers from the capital to their respective provinces in eastern Cuba for the end-of-year period.
Questions About the Accident and Burial
Why was Julio Idanio Torres Vaillant buried in Camagüey?
He was buried in Camagüey due to the "condition" of his remains and in adherence to unspecified "sanitary norms," according to an unnamed institution.
How did the accident involving Julio occur?
The accident happened when two Yutong buses collided on January 10 on the highway leading to the Florida municipality, resulting in his death and several other serious injuries.
What was Julio's role at the UEB Construction Unit?
Julio was responsible for transporting construction workers from Havana to their respective provinces in eastern Cuba for the end-of-year period.