People died in a massive explosion at the Saratoga Hotel in Havana.

A tremendous explosion struck one of Cuba’s most luxurious five-star hotels, killing at least 25 people and injuring more than 60 others.

A gas truck thought to have been parked outside the Saratoga Hotel in Old Havana caught fire, producing an explosion that damaged multiple stories of the structure.

The ancient hotel was set to reopen four days after the epidemic.

It is currently in ruins, with much of the exterior wall ripped away.

People trapped beneath the debris are being sought out by search and rescue teams.

A pregnant woman and a kid were among the fatalities, according to the Cuban presidency.

The injured are being treated at hospitals in the area.

“I assumed [the explosion] was an earthquake,” said Yazira de la Caridad, who lives a street away from the hotel.

Following the explosion, witnesses reported seeing plumes of black smoke and dust pouring into the sky.

A school directly behind the hotel was untouched, and local officials confirmed that all of its students were safely evacuated.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel of Cuba paid a visit to the damage site, which is located directly across from the government’s ancient congressional building. “It wasn’t a bomb or an attack, it was a regrettable accident,” the president stated.

The event occurred just as the country’s tourism industry was beginning to recover from two rough years due by the Covid-19 pandemic.

During much of this time, the Saratoga Hotel, a landmark in the capital’s colonial area, was closed for renovations.

After superstars like Madonna, Beyonce, and Mick Jagger slept there during the thaw between Havana and Washington under President Barack Obama, the 19th century building has become synonymous with visiting celebrities in Havana.