A substantial fire broke out at the Ñico López refinery in Havana, affecting one of the three operational refineries in Cuba. Witnesses reported that thick black smoke was visible from kilometers away, indicating the fire's severity. At this time, Cuban authorities have not provided information about the cause of the fire or the extent of the damage, leaving uncertainty about any potential injuries or casualties.

The incident compounds Cuba's ongoing energy crisis, exacerbated by the cessation of oil supplies from Mexico and Venezuela. This cessation comes in the wake of former U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose tariffs on countries supplying oil to Cuba, significantly impacting the island's fuel availability. As the situation deteriorates, questions arise regarding how the Cuban government will address the immediate consequences of this fire and its broader implications for energy security on the island.

Cuban refineries are already in a precarious state, suffering from age-related deterioration and a lack of access to critical repairs and new technologies due to the U.S. embargo. The Ñico López refinery's inability to process anything other than light crude exacerbates the situation, leaving the country vulnerable to further energy shortages and economic challenges in the wake of the ongoing crisis and now this fire incident.