A powerful explosion shook a luxury hotel in the old town of the Cuban capital Havana on Friday.
At least eight people were killed.
There are also around 30 injured, reported the presidential office of the socialist Caribbean state.
The explosion happened on Friday morning (local time) at the Hotel Saratoga, near the Capitol.
Images spread on social media showing a large plume of smoke and the partially collapsed facade of the historic building, as well as damage to surrounding houses.
A crowd of people can be seen on videos around the scene of the accident.
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel went to the site of the blast to help injured citizens, according to Granma.
An accident during the reloading of liquid gas is mentioned as a possible cause.
A witness reported that the hotel was being supplied with liquid gas at the moment of the explosion.
Accordingly, construction work also took place at the hotel – there were no tourists there.
At least one neighboring building and several vehicles were also damaged.
A nearby school was evacuated, according to the government.
The blast came at a time when Cuba is trying to restart its tourism industry after the global pandemic and local travel restrictions have depressed the market.
The island saw just 356,470 international visitors in 2021, a 67 percent drop from 2020 and a far cry from the four million visitors the island normally receives each year.