At least eight people were killed Friday in an explosion that destroyed much of the Hotel Saratoga, a luxury hotel in the historic center of Havana, Cuban authorities said.
The President’s Office said on Twitter that at least eight people were dead and another “30 or so” were injured and receiving medical attention.
Preliminary investigations point to a gas leak, and search and rescue efforts were ongoing, the Office said. The Office’s Twitter account also shared images of Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero at the scene.
Images and videos show extensive damage to several floors, but the building was still standing. Two floors lost walls and windows, and a store on the ground floor was reduced to rubble. The explosion happened around 11 a.m., independent news 14ymedio reported.
Cuban officials said the hotel was undergoing repairs after it closed during the pandemic. It is unclear if it was open for tourists.
With eclectic architecture and just steps from Central Park and the Capitol, the 19th-century building was restored and reopened as a five-star luxury hotel in 2005. Several Cuban-Americans and figures from the business world stayed there when they accompanied President Barack Obama on his visit to Cuba in 2016.
Several videos show dozens of people walking around, as well as members of the police and the fire department.
____
