Explosion in luxury hotel in Havana: Authorities confirm numerous deaths and injuries

Created: 05/06/2022, 20:11

By: Patrick Huljina

There was a powerful explosion in a hotel in Havana on Friday.

The Cuban authorities have already confirmed eight deaths.

Havana - In the old town of the Cuban capital Havana, there was a strong explosion in the luxury hotel "Hotel Saratoga" on Friday morning (local time).

At least eight people have lost their lives, reports the presidential office of the socialist Caribbean country.

There are also around 30 injured.

Granma

, the newspaper of the Cuban Communist Party, reported that at the moment of the explosion, according to witnesses, LPG was being delivered to the hotel.

Accordingly, construction work also took place at the hotel in Havana.

There were no tourists there.

According to reports, the explosion happened shortly after 11 a.m. (local time, 5 p.m. CEST).

The Hotel Saratoga in the Cuban capital Havana was badly damaged after an explosion.

© Ramon Espinosa/dpa

Havana/Cuba: Explosion in a luxury hotel - many dead and injured

Pictures from the capital of Cuba showed a large cloud of smoke and the partially collapsed facade of the building.

In addition, at least one neighboring building and several vehicles were obviously damaged.

Numerous videos on social media showed a gathering of people around the scene of the accident in Havana.

Some people rushed to try to help the injured.

A nearby school was evacuated, according to the government.

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel got an idea of ​​the situation on site.