At least four dead after massive explosion in Havana

HAVANA, May 6th Police and fire rescuers are combing through rubble for survivors after an explosion late Friday morning destroyed a hotel in Havana, Cuba, killing at least four people.A gas leak is thought to be the cause of the explosion at Hotel Saratoga, according to the Cuban Presidential Office, which said in a tweet that more details would follow shortly.

Witnesses described a “massive blast,” which appeared to destroy buses and cars outside the hotel in the center of the city.

Images from the scene showed the blown-out facade of at least three floors of the ornate green-and-white stuccoed building. Plumes of dust and smoke could be seen rising around debris on the ground.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel visited the site of the explosion on Friday as Mexico’s foreign minister tweeted his solidarity with the explosion’s victims.

“Our solidarity to the victims and those affected as well as the people of that dear fraternal nation,” Marcelo Ebrard said in a tweet.

The hotel, which was built in the 1930s and has 96 rooms, was reopened in 2005 after refurbishment, according to its website.

At least four dead after a massive explosion destroyed a hotel in Havana

An explosion rocked Havana, Cuba Friday and destroyed the Hotel Saratoga. Cuban police and fire rescue were combing through the rubble looking for survivors. It was not clear what caused the explosion in the center of the city.