Explosion Hits Luxury Cuban Hotel That Hosts High-Profile Visits

The Hotel Saratoga, a luxury Cuban hotspot that has boasted stays by American diplomats and celebrities alike, was partially destroyed in an explosion Friday afternoon. 

Photos and videos on social media show the partially collapsed hotel, located in oldtown Havana, the Cuban capital, alongside a pile of dust and debris. The immediate cause of the explosion was not clear. There is no word on the number of injuries or fatalities. 

“In just five minutes your life changes forever,” wrote one person on social media.

En solo 5 minutos te cambia la vida para siempre.

Mis condolencias a todas las víctimas. #Saratoga pic.twitter.com/wlXoRvAUlg

— Erich (@ErichGarciaCruz) May 6, 2022

🚨🚨 ÚLTIMA HORA 🚨🚨 Explosión en el Hotel Saratoga en La Habana. Hasta el momento no se conocen detalles de qué pudo haber provocado el incidente y si hay víctimas al interior del inmuble. https://t.co/uaIJhzASwr pic.twitter.com/cjVUtCNaB3

— Cuba Bella 🇨🇺 (@CubaBella13) May 6, 2022

According to the Agence-France Press, the hotel had been undergoing some repairs at the time of the explosion. Rescue work is currently underway.

A number of high-profile guests have visited the hotel in recent years, including Madonna, Beyonce and Jay-Z. In 2016, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) visited the hotel along with an American congressional delegation. Two years earlier, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) visited the hotel for a trip.

The hotel is located about 200 miles from Miami, Florida, where a condo collapse last summer left 98 dead, including several Cuban immigrants. 

This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates. 

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