Cuba Hotel Death Toll Now At 35

By NAN STAFF WRITER

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Mon. May 9, 2022: The death toll in Cuba’s May 6th hotel explosion rose to 35 today as rescue workers pulled another four bodies from the ruins of the Saratoga five-star hotel.

The Havana luxury hotel explosion occurred last Friday around 10:50 a.m. (local time), with reports indicating it was caused by a gas leak. The explosion caused severe damage to the hotel infrastructure, as well as other damage to neighboring buildings. According to preliminary data, more than 89 people were hospitalized from injuries.

In addition to the one occupied by the Saratoga hotel, another 17 buildings were damaged by the shock wave of the explosion, and according to a dispatch from the Efe agency, the experts are carrying out a technical evaluation of three blocks and the hotel itself, to analyze whether it can be recovered or must be demolished.

Crews today continued to comb through the rubble of the hotel, which was being renovated and had no guests at the time of the late-morning blast.

Saratoga was built in 1880 and from 1911 it worked as a hotel. Its last restoration took place in 2005, when the building was reformed in depth, it acquired the category of five stars and was cataloged among the most luxurious in the Cuban capital of Havana.