Havana Cuba. — Another explosion has occurred in a Havana hotel due to a gas leak. This time it has been Caribbean, located in the very busy corner of Prado and Colón. So far, only one injury has been reported and the rapid evacuation of the rest of the guests.
For Cubans it has been inevitable to feel that the alarm bells are going off again. The memory of Saratoga resurfaces, that tremendous deflagration that was felt kilometers away, with its 47 dead, 99 injured, half a hotel destroyed and several nearby buildings affected. For days the population of the capital remained pending the rescue operations, and to date no official report has been published on what happened. It is only known that it was a gas leak, like the one that now has residents in the vicinity of the Caribbean very concerned.
Although that hotel has completely disappeared from advertising messages to attract tourists, some visitors still stay there. Its location on Paseo del Prado, a few blocks from the boardwalk, continues to be privileged; although its modest presence is hardly noticeable among the luxurious Grand Packard, Mystique Regis and the five-star plus that bears the name of the legendary ride.
The origin of the gas leak in the Caribbean is unknown, as well as the magnitude of the damage that occurred in the property; but the incident could again point to negligence or errors, either in the hotel’s maintenance protocols, or in the gas pipes manufactured in the area.
Not even the proximity of expensive facilities, built with the hope of attracting millionaire tourism and accustomed to quality standards that are incompatible with the poverty of Cuba, has made the regime take extreme security measures so that a tragedy like the one Saratoga hotel will not be repeated.
Cuba has remained in the saga of the main Caribbean destinations for international tourism. The year 2022 closed with a number of visitors below expectations, and the figures for last January (246,000) were not encouraging for a high season either. If we add to this the fact that potential accidents are hidden behind the modern glass façades of the new hotels, the causes of which remain unanswered or responsible, it would not be a surprise if the number of tourists decreased even more.
