Havana, September 3 (RHC)-- Members of the Fire Brigade of the western Cuban city of Matanzas who died in a massive fire were posthumously decorated, reported Granma.

In a solemn ceremony on Friday, the family members received the Second Degree Order of June 6, awarded to those who showed heroism in the unfortunate accident caused by a lightning strike at the Supertanker Base in Matanzas Bay on August 5.

Those present at the former Artistic and Literary Lyceum of Matanzas made a minute of silence in tribute to the memory of the first non-commissioned officer Diosdel Nazco Vargas, the soldiers Leo Alejandro Doval Perez de Prado, Adriano Rodriguez Gutierrez, and Fabian Naranjo Nunez; Luis Angel Alvarez Leyva and Pablo Angel Lopez Martell.

The first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Matanzas, Susely Morfa, headed the tribute, with Colonel José Antonio López Lugo, head of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in the territory, and Deputy Governor Marieta Poey.

From August 5 to 12, Cuba faced an industrial accident without precedent in its history, which caused the death of 16 people and more than 140 injured.