An explosion in the Grand Riviera Princess resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, killed seven people Sun morning. The explosion wrecked the hotel’s restaurant and left a huge crater. Swamp gas building up under the hotel is suspected as the reason for the hotel explosion, according to Mexican officials.
The Grand Riviera Princess explosion
The blast at the Grand Riviera Princess resort in Playa del Carmen claimed the lives of five Canadian tourists and 2 Mexican hotel employees. The explosion injured 18 guests at the 676-room resort on Mexico’s Caribbean coast about 50 miles south of Cancun. Breakfast had been being served in the resort restaurant when the explosion occurred. It projected 50 yards metal, glass and pavement. Canadians got the worst of it. Eight of the most seriously injured are from Canada. You will find two individuals in critical condition right now. Two United States citizens were hurt along with eight Mexican employees. These ten had injuries that aren't quite as severe.
The stage at the resort blast
Columbia Broadcasting System News interviewed the attorney general of Mexico's state of Quintana Roo, Francisco Alor, who said that the Grand Riviera Princess hotel restaurant floor went through the ceiling with the explosion. CBS News talked to a resort guest also who said that people were blown off their feet in the building as the blast sucked all the air out of the building however then forced it all back in. Glass was flying everywhere. Serious injuries were caused because of this. Hotel guests used deck chairs for stretchers to carry out the victims.
Possible it had been swamp gas
An investigation the Grand Riviera Princess blast suggests that natural gas had accumulated under the floor of the resort lobby and been ignited. The resort had been built on a concrete slab that had been near the beach and over the swamp even though there are no gas lines. It is suspected the gas originated from plant matter underground that was decomposing. This is what authorities suggest. A separate investigation has been launched to determine whether illegal shortcuts had been taken within the construction of the Playa del Carmen resort.
Info from
CBC News
cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/11/14/mexico-hotel-explosion.html
Dallas Morning News
dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/stories/DN-mexico_15int.ART.State.Edition1.e26e42.html
New York Times
nytimes.com/2010/11/15/world/americas/15mexico.html?_r=1&ref=world
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