Massive explosion rips through Saratoga Hotel in Havana, Cuba

Multiple floors of the upscale Saratoga Hotel in Havana, Cuba were completely destroyed after a huge explosion ripped through the building, located directly across from Cuba’s National Capitol Building, the seat of the country’s parliament.

The explosion happened at around 11am local time, with witnesses saying that the blast “sounded like a bomb.”

At this time, the cause of the explosion remains unknown and there are no immediate reports or estimates of casualties.

Crowds of bystanders have gathered on the streets as police and rescue crews begin searching the rubble for survivors.

A school across the street from the hotel was evacuated following the explosion.

According to some reports, the hotel, which is one of the most popular in the city, was almost empty due to the pandemic. 

The hotel’s website describes it as a luxury hotel located in the historic center of the Cuba‘s capital city of Havana, with 96 rooms, two bars, two restaurants, a spa and gym.

The building, housing the Saratoga Hotel, was originally built in 1880 and remodeled as a hotel in 1933.