A robust explosion hit a well known resort in downtown Havana on Friday, tearing a gash a number of flooring top into the facet of the construction and injuring no less than one particular person, witnesses and Cuban state media mentioned.
Pictures from Granma, the Communist Birthday party’s professional day by day, confirmed photographs of the multistory Resort Saratoga with partitions it appears blown out by way of the blast. It was once no longer instantly transparent what brought about the explosion.
A Reuters witness noticed smoke and flames coming from the construction. Police and rescue staff flocked to the scene, cordoning off key issues and constructions close by, together with the historical Capitolio construction.
A photograph from the scene confirmed what seemed to be no less than one frame at the scene with a white material over it.
The resort was once revamped by way of a British corporate after the autumn of the Soviet Union and was once thought to be where to move for visiting govt officers and celebrities’ for a few years. Just lately, it had misplaced a few of its shine with the hole of recent resorts in Havana, however was once nonetheless a five-star venue.
The resort were set for a post-pandemic re-opening in 4 days, in step with its Fb web page.