Saratoga Hotel: Eight dead after huge explosion in Havana

At least eight people have died and more than 30 have been injured after a massive explosion rocked one of Cuba's most exclusive five-star hotels.

The blast at the Saratoga Hotel in Old Havana on Friday appears to have been caused by a gas leak, according to local officials.

The historic five-storey building was set for a post-pandemic reopening in four days.

It now lies in ruins, with much of its outer wall torn off.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway to locate people trapped under the debris.

The injured are being treated at nearby hospitals.

Yazira de la Caridad, who lives a block from the hotel, told CBS News she "thought [the explosion] was an earthquake".

Witnesses said they saw plumes of black smoke and clouds of dust billowing into the sky following the explosion.

READ MORE: BBC