Havana Oil Refinery Fire Contained Amidst Cuba’s Energy Crisis
A fire that erupted on Friday, February 13, 2026, at the Ñico López oil refinery in Havana, Cuba, is now under control, though the cause remains under investigation. The incident occurred near docked oil tankers and generated significant flames and black smoke visible across the bay, according to eyewitness accounts. This latest event underscores the precarious state of Cuba’s energy infrastructure and its deepening economic challenges.
Fire Contained, Investigation Underway
The Ministry of Energy and Mines reported the incident on its X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, “Controlled fire that occurred this afternoon in one of the warehouses located in the ‘Ñico López’ Refinery.” A brief follow-up confirmed that “the causes are being investigated.” The Ñico López refinery, nationalized in 1960, is one of three facilities in Cuba capable of processing both domestic crude oil and imported supplies.
Humanitarian Aid Arrives During Crisis
The fire broke out in the same harbor where two Mexican Navy ships had docked on Thursday, delivering over 800 tons of much-needed humanitarian aid. This assistance arrives as Cuba grapples with a severe economic and energy crisis, exacerbated by external pressures and the cessation of oil shipments from Venezuela following the political shift there. The island nation is facing critical shortages of fuel and essential goods.
Emergency Measures and Prolonged Blackouts
In an attempt to conserve energy, the Cuban government implemented an emergency plan on Monday, February 9, 2026, which includes restrictions on fuel sales and a reduced four-day work week, from Monday to Thursday. These measures follow a period of prolonged daily blackouts that have plagued the island since mid-2024. These outages have intensified in recent months due to frequent breakdowns at Cuba’s thermoelectric plants and a lack of foreign currency to secure sufficient fuel imports.
A History of Oil Facility Fires
This incident is not isolated. In August 2022, a major fire engulfed the super fuel tanker base in Matanzas, Cuba’s primary strategic reserve. Controlling that blaze took a full week, requiring assistance from Mexico and Venezuela, and tragically resulted in 17 fatalities. The repeated occurrence of fires at key energy facilities raises serious concerns about infrastructure safety and maintenance.
The current situation highlights Cuba’s vulnerability and its urgent need for both immediate aid and long-term solutions to address its energy and economic woes.
