31 confirmed dead following blast in Havana

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31 confirmed dead following blast in Havana

A worker removes part of the damaged facade at the site of a deadly explosion that destroyed the five-star Hotel Saratoga in Old Havana, Cuba, Sunday, May 8, 2022. (AP Photo/Ismael Francisco)

OAN Newsroom

UPDATED 8:12 AM PT – Monday, May 9, 2022

Crews have continued to search through the rubble of a hotel in Havana, Cuba after an explosion rocked the downtown area.

An explosion has ripped through the five-star Hotel Saratoga in Havana, Cuba. At least eight people were injured in the blast. pic.twitter.com/c66oZhsdgx

— blue blue (@ArielJestJeden) May 6, 2022

As of Sunday, authorities confirmed 31 people have died, including four children, a pregnant woman and a tourist from Spain. More than 50 people are estimated to be injured and more than a dozen children remained hospitalized as a result of the blast.

"Fifteen minors are still hospitalized at Havana's Juan Manuel Marquez pediatric hospital," said Dr. Julio Guerra Izquierdo, head of Cuba's Ministry of Health Hospital Division. "There are eight males and seven females. Three of them are in critical condition, two are critically ill and ten pediatric patients are reported to be in care." 

The cause of the blast is still unknown, but a crane removing a destroyed gas tank from the rubble could provide clues. Meanwhile, families of the victims are demanding answers from authorities.

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Source: 31 confirmed dead following blast in Havana