At least 30 dead and 84 injured by explosion at the Saratoga hotel in Havana

At least 30 people died and 84 were injured as a result of the explosion that occurred on Friday at the Saratoga hotel in Old Havana, the Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) reported on Sunday. The explosion was reportedly caused by a gas leak, and the regime is making efforts to reopen the luxury tourist hotel by May 10.

The regime said 16 of the casualties were male and 14 female, and among them were four minors, a pregnant woman and a foreigner of Spanish nationality.

As for the injured, MINSAP said 30 injured have been discharged from hospital, while 24 remain admitted to seven different hospitals, a total that includes 19 adults and five children. Four adults were reported in critical condition while four infants are in intensive care.

The Spanish tourist who died from the incident was vacationing on the island with her husband and walking outside the Saratoga hotel when the explosion occurred. The husband is currently hospitalized with serious injuries in a Havana based hospital.

The lifeless body of Cristina Lopez-Ceron, 29, is expected to arrive back in Spain by the end of the week, EFE news agency reported, citing sources from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The hotel explosion caused several structures to collapse, including the side and front facades.

Since Friday, personnel from the Ministries of Construction, Public Health and the Interior, including firefighters and rescue and rescue teams were working in the hotel facilities, removing debris and seeking access to the basement area, where authorities estimate there could be more bodies of missing people.

A hundred people participated on Saturday night in a vigil to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic incident. Vigil participants attended with candles, flowers and photographs. They read aloud the names of the victims that were identified by the health authorities so far.