HAVANA — Police and fire rescuers are combing through rubble for survivors after an explosion late Friday morning destroyed a hotel in Havana, Cuba.

It was not immediately clear what caused the explosion at Hotel Saratoga in the center of the city.

Witnesses described a "massive blast," which appeared to destroy buses and cars outside the hotel.

Images from the scene showed the blown-out facade of at least three floors of the ornate green-and-white stuccoed building. Plumes of dust and smoke could be seen rising around debris on the ground.

The hotel, which was built in the 1930s and has 96 rooms, was reopened in 2005 after refurbishment, according to its website. — CNN