Cuba hotel explosion badly damaged major Baptist church

By ANDREA RODRÍGUEZ
Associated Press

HAVANA (AP) — The explosion that devastated Havana’s Hotel Saratoga and killed 45 people also badly damaged Cuba’s most important Baptist church, which is next door. Concrete plunged from walls , wood and glass showered down from the windows onto the pews below. Church officials say that fortunately, none of the 18 people inside were hurt in the May 6 explosion. But church leaders say they will be working with city authorities on plans to restore the building. It houses not only Calvary Baptist Church, but a seminary and the denomination’s headquarters for western Cuba.