Heavy explosion at a historic hotel in Havana: there are at least 4 dead

A powerful explosion was recorded Friday at the central Saratoga hotel in Havana, which is under repair, causing damage to part of the historic building and caused the deaths of four people. Although they don’t put that aside there more victims in the ruins.

Shortly after 11 am local time, a cloud of smoke and dust spread toward the Prado, the main avenue in central Havana, where the hotel is located. The first four floors were almost destroyedwith lots of rubble and glass around.

A few hours after the disaster, the First Party Secretary in Havana, Luis Antonio Torres Iribarreported that so far the deaths of four people and 19 injured have been confirmed.

According to information offered by Torres Iríbar, to this day they still remain 13 missing persons. That is why there is a big operation in the area to find out if there are many more victims in the rubble.

As indicated from the official Twitter account of the Cuban presidency, the explosion would have been caused by a gas leak. In this way he began to clear doubts about one of the theories speaking of a possible attack.

As seen in the first photos released, the explosion as well affected buses and vehicles passing through the area.

They also stated that personnel from the Rescue and Rescue Command of the Fire Department, as well as authorities from the Ministry of the Interior, were working on the site.

Still does not disclose information about potential victims, but local media warned about the large number of ambulances in the area searching for possible victims in the ruins.

“There was a tremendous noise and a giant cloud of dust, a lot of people ran out,” Rogelio Garcia, a pedicab driver who was passing just at the time of the explosion, told AFP.

Police cordoned off the two blocks around with yellow tape. Around the hotel they hit five car bombs, while a strong police mobilization was recorded.

Meanwhile, President Miguel Díaz-Canel arrived at the scene of the accident, where vehicles were destroyed, as firefighters searched for the rubble.

“What you felt was a shocking explosion and everything fell apart,” said another woman, her face covered in dust.

According to Diario de Cuba, the Saratoga hotel, managed by Hotel Saratoga SA Mixed Company, has opened as a boutique hotel. It has 96 rooms, a bar, restaurant and swimming pool on the terrace with panoramic city views.

With its French neoclassical design, with wrought iron balconies, it is one of the most emblematic buildings in the Cuban capital and also one of the most luxurious in Havana.

On the CubaDebate site that was pointed out the children from the school next to the hotel were evacuated and those injured in the explosion received immediate care at nearby hospitals.

At noon, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, arrived at the scene to personally follow the rescue operation.