Suspected Gas Explosion At Hotel Injures 14

BethPH
By BethPH Last edited 112 months ago
Suspected Gas Explosion At Hotel Injures 14

Emergency services at Portman Square

A suspected gas explosion at the Churchill Hyatt Regency hotel in Portman Square has led to 500 people being evacuated and 14 injured.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) said the explosion, believed to have happened in the kitchens just before midnight on Friday, caused part of the building to collapse. Twelve of the people injured were staff, and the London Ambulance Service has said five were taken to hospital. A spokesperson for the hotel said:

“Hyatt Regency Churchill in London experienced a gas explosion in the basement early this morning. Twelve Hyatt associates were treated for injuries. No guests were injured, and all guests were evacuated to nearby hotels. Hyatt’s top priority is the safety and wellbeing of our guests and associates, and we are currently working to provide guests with accommodations while we evaluate whether the hotel suffered any significant damage.”

The LFB said 80 firefighters attended the scene, and the explosion caused extensive damage to the basement and the ground floor. The cause of the explosion isn't yet clear, but an inspection by National Grid is underway.

Photo courtesy of Jason Killens @LAS_OpsDirector

Last Updated 22 November 2014