Italy's government has tweeted its solidarity with Cuba over the massive fire at an oil storage facility in Matanzas on the island's northwest coast which broke out there at the weekend.
"Italy expresses solidarity with Cuba's government and people over the serious incident at Matanzas," read the tweet from the foreign ministry.
"Sincere condolences to the families of the victims," the tweet added.
At least one firefighter died, 17 were reported missing, while over 120 people were injured in the blaze that broke out after lightning struck a fuel storage tank at a depot in Matanzas on Cuba's northern coast on Friday and spread to a second tank on Saturday, causing a series of explosions and a dense plume of noxious black smoke that reportedly spread over 100 kilometres westward to the capital, Havana.
Some 5,000 people have been evacuated from the area and Mexican and Venezuelan fire-fighting teams brought were brought in a bid to quell the blaze on Sunday, according to reports.
