At least 26 people were killed yesterday (Friday) in an explosion at the Saratoga Hotel in Havana, one of the most luxurious hotels in Cuba, the AP news agency reported.
It is suspected that the explosion of a gas tank led to the largest carnage in human life in a 96-room hotel.
Inside the 19th-century building in the Old Havana neighborhood there were no guests because it was under renovation prior to reopening, but the area in front of the hotel was crowded at the time of the late-morning blast.
The dead in the blast, according to Cuban authorities, include four children and a pregnant woman. Spanish President Pedro Sanchez said via Twitter that a Spanish tourist was among those killed and that another Spaniard was seriously injured.
Authorities in Cuba confirmed the death of the tourist and said her partner was injured and they were not staying at the hotel.
Delilah Gonzalez, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Tourism, said a Cuban-American tourist was also injured.
The Cubadebate website also quoted the Ministry of Health as confirming that there were 80 injured, of whom 46 remained hospitalized.
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