Havana, August 5 (RHC)-- an intense explosion caused by a lightning bolt generated a fire of significant proportions in the industrial zone of Matanzas, in western Cuba, reported National TV Newscast.

The lightning struck one of the tanks that store crude oil of national production in the supertanker base of that city, which generated the explosion and the fire, according to preliminary reports.

Numerous firefighters and provincial authorities, among them the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in that territory, Sucely Morfa, immediately went to the place of the incident.

Images broadcast by local television showed a large column of black smoke seen from many points of the city of Matanzas.

According to information, at the closing of this note, firefighters were working hard to cool the affected tank to prevent the flames from spreading to other fuel tanks and causing more significant damage.

No human casualties were reported as a result of this accident.