MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Major fire hits Havana’s Ñico López refinery amid Cuba’s energy crunch

Ñico López is one of the island’s three refineries

A large fire broke out on Friday at the Ñico López refinery in Cuba’s capital, sending a thick column of black smoke into the sky that was visible from multiple points around Havana Bay. Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the blaze or the extent of any damage, while emergency crews remained on scene.

Cuba’s Ministry of Energy and Mines said on social media that the incident began in a warehouse area of the complex and that, by 4:20 p.m., it was “already under control”. No official reports of injuries or fatalities had been issued at the time of the update.

Ñico López is one of the island’s three refineries. Nationalised in 1960, it is an ageing facility capable of processing heavy domestic crude as well as imported oil. The plant has faced technical problems for years, and its proximity to densely populated areas has long raised concerns, alongside the environmental impact associated with discharges into the bay.

Oil Refinery Fire Cuba

The Ñico López refinery in Havana, Cuba, is currently ablaze.

This is the unloading point for oil sent from Mexico according to reports. pic.twitter.com/uiHoVExLvm

— Chyno News (@ChynoNews) February 13, 2026

The fire comes as Cuba grapples with a prolonged energy crisis. The country has faced recurrent, lengthy power cuts that officials have linked to breakdowns at thermal plants and constraints on securing enough fuel, against a backdrop of pressure on energy imports.

Cuba has also dealt with major fuel-related industrial incidents in recent years. In August 2022, a lightning strike triggered a blaze at the Matanzas supertanker terminal that took days to contain and resulted in fatalities, with severe damage to storage tanks.

Authorities have not yet released a detailed technical report on what sparked Friday’s fire or whether refinery operations were affected. Further updates are expected once assessments on the ground are completed.