Here. the authorities were . uickl here. the authorities were quickly on here. the authorities were quickly on the here. the authorities were quickly on the scene, - here. the authorities were i quickly on the scene, ferrying the injured to local hospitals and searching the rubble for survivors. ivana s overstretched emergency services being tested to their limit. havana. the president also appeared to offer support and condolences. for some, the explosion brought back memories of the early 1990s, and radical anti castro groups from florida bombed a number of cuban hotels. however, the president was quick to dismiss rumours that the blast was anything other than an accident. translation: mi; anything other than an accident. translation: my case was this a bomb accident. translation: my case was this a bomb or accident. translation: my case was this a bomb or an accident. translation: my case was this a bomb or an attack, - was this a bomb or an attack, it sjust a very was
Accident, though investigations were underway. more than 60 people have been injured. 0ur correspondent will grant reports. the saratoga hotel, a landmark in havana, reduced to rubble. its facade ripped clean off, the rooms of the 5 star hotel were exposed and its ornate lobby left a twisted pile of metal, marble and concrete. a gas tanker outside the building was quickly identified as the cause of the blast. for local residents, it was a horrific, surreal moment. they can scarcely believe the saratoga, once a favourite among visiting celebrities, has been left in ruins. translation: you could see people shouting, dust - rising, the disaster. it was like a horror film, really. translation: i felt the clear explosion, a single boom, - and i saw crystals cracking and falling and a white cloud of dust that would not go away. but i managed to close the door and i managed to get away
Welcome to bbc news. i m tim willcox our top stories. in ukraine a further 50 civilians are evacuated from the mariupol steelworks that s been under attack by russian forces. a huge explosion rips through an upmarket hotel in the colonial district of havana. at least 22 people are dead. a state of emergency is declared in sri lanka, as thousands of protestors demand the resignation of both the president and prime minister. and why some controversial members of the british royalfamily won t be getting a place on the balcony at the queen s jubilee.
This is bbc news. i m tim willcox. our top stories: in ukraine, 3 further 50 civilians are evacuated from the mariupol steelworks that s been under attack by russian forces. by russian forces for more than two months. the white house announces a new $150 million package of military aid for ukraine, including artillery, munitions and radars. a huge explosion rips through an upmarket hotel in the colonial district of havana. at least 22 people are dead. a state of emergency is declared in sri lanka, thousands of protestors demanding the resignation of both the president and prime minister. and why some controversial members of the british royal family won t be getting a place on the balcony at the queen s jubilee.
Trapped and are blocked internals that been collapsed by bunker busting bombs. they say there are probably more than 100 still there and we can see if they can get more out today. an explosion at a luxury hotel in the cuban capital havana has killed at least 22 people. the blast tore through several floors of the hotel saratoga. the cuban president, miguel diaz canel, said the explosion had resulted from what he called a gas accident, though investigations were underway. more than 60 people have been injured. 0ur correspondent will grant reports. the saratoga hotel, a landmark in havana, reduced to rubble. its facade ripped clean off, the rooms of the 5 star hotel were exposed and its ornate lobby left a twisted pile of metal, marble and concrete. a gas tanker outside the building was quickly