Marc Frank

HAVANA, Reuters – On Saturday, Cuban rescue personnel searched through the rubble to find survivors and bodies after a Havana hotel boutique was destroyed by a gas blast. At least 26 people were killed.

A blast at Hotel Saratoga caused serious damage to two adjacent upscale apartments buildings. It also inflicted light damage on 17 nearby structures. The debris fell onto pedestrians and debris flew at the nearby grammar school.

According to local authorities, 50 people were hurt and 14 kids. According to local authorities, four children were among the deceased, but they didn’t give any details. One of the victims was a Spanish tourist.

Local media and authorities reported that rescuers attempted to reach the basement through a passageway. They hoped to find survivors. It was difficult because engineers needed to verify the structural integrity of the remaining building.

According to state-run television, the hotel was closed at the time the blast occurred.

Tourists often rent apartments in the adjacent apartment block.

Following the Soviet Union’s fall, a British company renovated the hotel. For many years it was the favorite place for visiting celebrities and officials.

Although it was losing some shine recently with the new Havana hotel openings, it still offered five star service and is just a few minutes from several historic landmarks such as Marti Theater which suffered minor damage.

“Well, its just more bad news. There was Trump, Biden, the pandemic, shortages, and I could go on and on,” Michael Serano, a nurse who doubles as a handyman,” said, shrugging his shoulders and looking to the sky.

Cuba’s tourism sector was shut down for two years. It is now reopening after locally-developed vaccines seem to have contained the coronavirus. However, arrivals are still around 30% below pre-pandemic levels.