At least 27 dead in Cuba hotel blast, with desperate search for survivors

Relatives of those missing in Cuba’s capital are desperately searching for the victims of a Cuban hotel blast.

Hotel blast in Havanna kills several

A natural gas leak caused the hotel blast in Cuba’s capital city. The 19th-century building in the old neighborhood of Havana did not have any guests. The 96-room hotel was undergoing renovations. Relatives of people missing in Havana desperately looked for the victims on Saturday following an explosion at a luxurious hotel that killed a minimum of 27 people. Most of them returned unsuccessful from the morgue to the partially collapsed Hotel Saratoga to see if rescue dogs could help in their efforts.

City officials have raised death tolls following the hotel blast to 27 as of Saturday. A pregnant woman and four children also lost their lives in the blast. Pedro Sánchez, the president of Spain tweeted that a Spanish tourist was one among the 27 reported dead. Additionally, another Spaniard was injured seriously. However, Cuban authorities did not comment more or gave details on the death of the tourist.

Here’s what happened

Rescue teams were working through Friday night and moving into Saturday. They used ladders to descend from the rubble in addition to twisted metal. Moreover, they are employing several heavy machinery for moving away piles of debris following the hotel blast. Several chunks of drywalls were dangling from wires. “My daughter is in the Saratoga; she’s been there since 8 a.m. (Friday), and at this time I don’t know anything about her,” stated Shaidis Cobas. Cobas is a 27-year-old housekeeper waiting for news on her daughter. She’s not at the morgue, she’s not in the hospital. I’m tired of the lies” she added. According to the mother, she is seeking her daughter and all the places are sending her back with an empty answer.

The hotel was first renovated in 2005 as the Cuban government was reviving the old Havana. Grupo de Turismo Gaviota SA, the Cuban military’s tourism business arm stated that it will further investigate the cause. The hotel has been used by VIPs, high-ranking officials and delegations, political figures, and celebrities including Beyonce and Jay-Z.

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