A fire broke out this past Saturday in the elevator shaft of a building located at Calle L No. 355, between 23 and 21 streets, within the Rampa Popular Council area of El Vedado in Havana.
The official account of the Plaza de la Revolución Administration Council reported that the blaze was contained with no human casualties or further damage to the building.
According to the details shared, the fire was triggered by an accumulation of debris in the elevator area.
The report attributes the positive outcome—preventing the fire from spreading to other parts of the building—to the "swift and professional" actions of the Fire Department, whose intervention managed to bring the situation under control.
Following the incident, several municipal authorities arrived at the scene: Roilán Rodríguez Barbán, First Secretary of the Municipal Committee of the PCC; Liliana Díaz Campa, President of the Municipal Assembly of People's Power; Rolando López Jiménez, Municipal Intendant; and Pedro Lizardo Garcés Escalona, local district president, as per the report.
The statement concludes with a public thank you to the firefighters for their service.
As of the available information, no further details have been provided regarding the exact scale of the fire, potential damage to the elevator, response time, or whether an investigation will be launched or preventive measures taken in the building.
This incident marks the second fire of this nature within a month. At the end of November, a person died in a fire that broke out in an apartment at the building on Lombillo 792, between Hidalgo and Estancia, in the Plaza Popular Council, Plaza de la Revolución municipality.
The fire occurred late in the morning, immediately mobilizing Cuba's Fire Department forces and specialists from the Ministry of the Interior (Minint).
Fires in Havana have once again highlighted the structural deficiencies and vulnerability of numerous buildings.
Just a few weeks ago, a fire in a building in Centro Habana prompted a significant mobilization of firefighters and neighbors, who watched as flames engulfed part of the structure, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes.
Days later, authorities confirmed the fire's causes in a statement where the local government disclosed that it was started by an electrical failure, a recurring issue in the area's old, deteriorating buildings with outdated wiring systems.
Key Questions About Recent Fires in Havana
What was the cause of the elevator shaft fire in Vedado?
The fire was caused by an accumulation of debris in the elevator area.
How did authorities respond to the Vedado building fire?
The fire was swiftly controlled by the Fire Department, preventing its spread to other parts of the building, and several municipal authorities visited the scene.
What are the implications of recent fires for Havana's building infrastructure?
Recent fires highlight the structural vulnerabilities and outdated electrical systems in many of Havana's older buildings, prompting concerns over safety and the need for improvements.