At least 18 people have been killed in a heavy explosion at a luxury hotel in the center of the Cuban capital Havana. That has been announced by the authorities. Dozens of others were injured.
Among the dead are a pregnant woman and a child. A search for survivors is currently underway under the rubble.
The facade of the first four floors of the five-star Saratoga hotel has been largely wiped out by the blast, which occurred at 11 a.m. local time. The hotel has 96 rooms and two restaurants and has a swimming pool on the roof. The explosion may have been caused by a gas leak.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has already visited the crash site. He said it was an “unfortunate accident” and ruled out a bomb or terrorist attack as the cause of the explosion.
The hotel was currently closed due to the corona crisis, but would reopen in four days. Madonna, Mick Jagger and Beyoncé, among others, once stayed at the hotel.
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