HAVANA | Four new bodies have been recovered from the rubble of the Saratoga Hotel in Havana, which was blown up by an accidental gas explosion on Friday, bringing the official death toll to 35 on Monday, officials said.
• Also read: [EN IMAGES] Hotel explosion in Cuba kills 30
“Three other people were found dead during the night (and into) the early hours of the morning. We worked non-stop all morning. Another victim was found a few minutes ago,” Colonel Luis Carlos Guzman, fire chief, told public television.
On Monday afternoon, the Health Ministry said it had counted 89 victims of the blast, of whom 35 died and 20 were still hospitalized.
According to the Cuban state news agency ACN, the four bodies found were hotel employees, “12 or 13 people” are still missing.
Research is now concentrated in the basement of the building. “It is a very dangerous step because of the concentration of debris and the risk of collapse,” said the fire chief.
The iconic luxury hotel in central Havana was closed for two years due to the pandemic and, after a series of works, was preparing to reopen to the public on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Tourism on Saturday, 51 employees were inside the building when the explosion, which appeared to be caused by a gas leak when the hotel was being supplied by a tanker truck, occurred. The first four floors of the 5-star hotel were destroyed.
A fundraiser for the victims and help for the rescuers was started.
The Saratoga is known for having hosted several celebrities in recent years, including Mick Jagger, Beyoncé, and Madonna.
Built in 1880 for shops, the building was converted into a hotel in 1933 and a luxury hotel in 2005.