Cuba's Saratoga Hotel: Firefighters search rubble after blast
- Published
Watch: Recovery efforts under way after Havana hotel blast
Firefighters are searching the rubble of the Saratoga Hotel in the Cuban capital, Havana, after a huge blast ripped through the building on Friday.
At least 35 people were killed in the explosion, which is thought to have been caused by a gas tanker parked outside the hotel.
The Saratoga is one of Cuba's most exclusive five-star hotels.
The local mayor said that the search would continue until all victims had been located.
On Monday, rescue workers said that they had found four more bodies in the rubble.
The 19th-Century hotel in Havana's old town had been closed for renovations and most of the victims were construction workers and staff.
Sniffer dogs have been deployed in the hope of finding survivors in the building's basement
State TV said there was hope that some people could have survived the blast in the building's basement but officials said they feared there could also be more bodies among the ruins.
Four children, a pregnant woman and a 29-year-old Spanish tourist who was walking past the building are among the victims.
Scores were also injured and 24 remained in hospital on Sunday.
The first four floors of the landmark were completely gutted and its fa莽ade was blown off.
The hotel is located opposite the government's old congressional building
The explosion happened in the late morning on Friday local time. An official said the incident occurred while a gas tank was being refilled by a tanker lorry.
Locals said the force of the blast was such that they thought it was an earthquake.
The hotel, which in the past has hosted celebrities such as Madonna, Beyonc茅 and Mick Jagger, had been due to reopen this week.
- Published7 May 2022
