HAVANA — Thirteen soldiers, including four officers and nine soldiers, are missing following a series of powerful explosions at an arms and ammunition depot in Cuba's Holguín province, the country's armed forces confirmed late Tuesday.

The explosions rattled the small rural community of Melones, 450 miles (724 km) south and east of Havana, early on Tuesday. Officials had previously said the blasts were set off by a fire at a construction site.

The incident is still under investigation, authorities said.

Videos on social media showed plumes of dark smoke and flames above a forested tree line near Melones.

Soldiers and local police guarded access routes to the site while rescue teams and firefighters worked to put out the flames.

Authorities swiftly evacuated 1,245 residents from areas near the La Púa Popular Council in Gibara as a precautionary measure.

Although officials stated that the incident poses “no danger to the community,” the large-scale evacuation and the nature of the explosion have raised concerns among locals, many of whom recall similar incidents in the past.

This incident is reminiscent of a 2020 explosion at another military facility in Holguín province, which led to the evacuation of more than 1,200 people. That explosion, also triggered by a fire, scattered projectiles across nearby areas, causing widespread panic and material damage to homes.

The recurrence of such incidents has drawn attention to the safety and security of Cuba’s military depots, particularly those storing aging ammunition and explosives. Extreme weather conditions and inadequate storage facilities are often cited as contributing factors to these incidents. — Agencies