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Rescue Efforts Continue After Havana Hotel Explosion: Death Toll At 30
(CTN News) – Families and rescuers searched Saturday for the victims of an explosion at one of Havana’s most luxurious hotels, which killed at least 30 people and injured over 80 others.
One day after the explosion rocked the Saratoga Hotel, fire brigades, rescuers, paramedics, and heavy machinery technicians continued to remove debris from the site, where they found another presumed dead victim, one of the 13 still missing.
Havana Hotel Toll Rises to 30, Dogs Search for Survivors
Gas from a tanker truck is believed to have caused the explosion in the Neoclassical building in Old Havana.
As the Havana hotel was undergoing renovations prior to its reopening on Tuesday after being closed for two years due to the pandemic, there were no guests or tourists at the time.
On Saturday, the Cuban president returned to the explosion site to show support to rescue workers and solidarity with the victims.
He said, “One learns from the bad moments and avoids them in the future, and above all, has the will to overcome all these circumstances and continue moving forward.”.
According to the Ministry of Health, 30 people have died, including four children and a pregnant woman.
According to the ministry, 80 people were injured, 46 of whom remain hospitalized.
After the death of a Spanish woman, the Cuban authorities revealed that her companion was injured, although they clarified that they were not staying at the Havana hotel.