An explosion destroyed three floors of a historic hotel in Cuba’s capital Havana on Friday, killing at least 22 people and injuring 74, the president’s office said.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who visited the site shortly after the blast at the high-end Hotel Saratoga, accompanied by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, said it appeared to have been caused by a gas leak.
“It wasn’t a bomb or an attack, it’s an unfortunate accident,” he said in a statement shared by his office.
A cloud of dust and smoke billowed from the hotel after the blast ripped off parts of the facade shortly after 11am.
A rescue operation was under way, with a least one person detected alive in the rubble of the basement, according to local media.
Built in the 1930s, the Hotel Saratoga is located in Havana’s old town. It has 96 rooms and a rooftop pool, according to its website.
(With inputs from agencies)
A global media for the latest news, entertainment, music fashion, and more.
