14ymedio, Havana, 6 May 2022 — The explosion that destroyed the Saratoga Hotel this Friday in Havana has also affected numerous buildings around it. One of them is the El Calvario church, headquarters of the Western Baptist Convention, which lost its roof as a result of the explosion
In a statement made public in the afternoon, the Baptist Convention reported that they were prevented from entering their offices, despite the fact that, they say, “they have not suffered material damage.”
“We still do not have an exact idea of the magnitude of the damage to our building,” they pointed out, and were grateful that none of their employees who were in the building at that time suffered injuries.
In addition, they indicated that they await “the diagnosis of a commission that evaluates the structural damage.”
In the images broadcast from inside the temple, serious damage to the ceiling, walls and furniture of the premises is seen.
The detonation affected places several blocks away from the scene of the incident, such as Monte Street, where several stores had broken glass.
The nearby Teatro Martí, inaugurated in 1884, also suffered damage according to reports to this newspaper from local workers. The facility, restored in 2014, housed in 1901 the Constituent Convention that established the Republic of Cuba.
The damage also extends to the Yoruba Cultural Association of Cuba, located on the same block as the hotel. The center occupies a large building with a busy portal.
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