‘Four dead’ as explosion damages hotel in Cuban capital Havana

A powerful explosion has damaged a hotel in the Cuban capital, with officials reporting that at least four people have died.

The blast at the Hotel Saratoga, a 19th-century structure in Old Havana, was apparently due to a gas leak, according to the Twitter account of the office of president Miguel Diaz-Canel, who went to the site.

It said search and rescue efforts were under way for people who might be trapped.

Photos published by government news media showed severe damage to the hotel, with clouds of dust billowing into the sky.

The website Cubadebate reported that a school next door had been evacuated.

The five-star, 96-room hotel in Old Havana has two bars, two restaurants and a rooftop pool, according to its website.