A strong explosion occurred this Friday in a hotel under construction in the center of Havana. At least nine people were killed and 40 injured, according to a new report communicated by President Miguel Diaz-Canel, who presented his “deepest condolences” to the relatives of the victims.
Earlier, Miguel Garcia, director of the Calixto Garcia hospital where some of the injured are being treated, had reported that 11 injured were “in extremely serious condition”. “A two-year-old child is undergoing surgery for a fractured skull,” said Miguel Hernan Estévez, director of the Hermanos Almejeiras hospital.
For his part, the first secretary of the Communist Party in Havana, Luis Antonio Torres Iribar, had specified at midday that “13 people (were) missing” and warned: “search and rescue work continues in the ‘hotel, where other people may be trapped’ under the rubble. No foreigners are believed to be among the victims, authorities said.
A possible gas leak
An emblematic establishment of Old Havana with its green facade, the 5-star Saratoga hotel with its 96 rooms, under construction, had been closed to tourists for two years. The only employees inside were preparing for its reopening, scheduled for May 10.
The first findings indicate that the explosion was caused by a gas leak,” the account of the Cuban presidency said on Twitter. According to the manager of the historic district of Havana, Alexis Costa Silva, quoted by the state media Cubadebate, a canister of liquid gas was being changed in the hotel. The cook smelled gas and discovered a crack in the pipe which caused the explosion.
The first four floors destroyed
A cloud of smoke and dust rose from the Prado, the main avenue in the center of Havana where the hotel is located, near the Capitol. The first four floors were completely blown away, and the floor was littered with debris and broken glass.
Several vehicles were also destroyed near this hotel, known for having hosted several celebrities in recent years, including Madonna and Beyoncé. Built in 1880 to house shops, the building was transformed into a hotel in 1933 and renovated to make it a luxury establishment in 2005.