The first secretary of the Communist Party in Havana, Luis Antonio Torres Iribar, gave the information, which was published on the website of the Presidency of the Republic.

Vice Governor Yanet Hernandez confirmed to the media that the causes of the incident are still being investigated in depth and confirmed that the injured are being transferred to the Calixto Garcia hospital, in Plaza de la Revolucion municipality.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel arrived in the area accompanied by other authorities, including Prime Minister Manuel Marrero and National People’s Power Assembly President Esteban Lazo.

Rescue teams and ambulances continue to rescue the victims and forces from the National Revolutionary Police keep the place cordoned off in the Old Havana municipality, where the smoke is still visible.

Several of the floors of the emblematic hotel lost their façades on Prado and Dragones streets, and a nearby building also underwent severe damage, according to a Prensa Latina team that accessed the site of the incident.

According to a Telesur report, the hotel had not reopened for tourism at the time of the explosion.

The Telecommunications company Etecsa also reported interruptions in cell phone service caused by the incident.

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