Cuban experts have directed a group of measures to be adopted to protect the health and physical integrity of the residents of Matanzas and other areas of the Cuban oxident where the smoke from the fire is reaching.
Cristiana Díaz López, PhD in Chemistry, full professor and from the Faculty of Chemistry of the University of Havana, referred to the explosion and the fire of great magnitude in the industrial zone of Matanzas.
The expert offered some advice/measures for the population in view of the environmental and health consequences that the incident could bring.
These are:
- Stay away from fire area.
- Protect the respiratory tract. Wearing a mask is very important.
- “Petroleum is a mixture of hydrocarbons of different composition. When burned, it produces different gases and carbon particles not completely combusted (this is what gives the appearance of black smoke) and this particulate material can be acidified by the adsorption on its surface of water vapor and acid gases such as sulfur dioxide or Nitrogen oxides, with irritating action on the respiratory tract.
- The smallest particles can be much more dangerous than the well-known soot, because they enter the respiratory tract and can reach not only the bronchi but also the lungs.
- The wind can move these vapors and particles over great distances from the point where the emission occurs, depending on the currents and speed of the air, especially the smaller ones, the larger ones are deposited earlier by gravity.
- The contents of the two tanks at the time of the explosion were improved national crude oil (tank #52, half full) and fiul (tank #51, full capacity), information provided by Unión-Cupet.
- Do not expose yourself to smoke. If the cloud of smoke passes over your house, it is necessary to remain with the doors and windows closed until it passes, to anticipate inhaling large amounts. Once the bulk of that cloud of smoke has passed, proceed to open windows and doors to circulate the air.
With information from J.T.