Blast at central London hotel

Hotel guests have spoken about last night's gas explosion at London's Hyatt Regency Hotel in Portman Square, describing the atmosphere immediately following the blast.

Raymund Reyes, 40, said it was 'chaos' on the street outside the hotel as some guests waited in the cold for an hour and a half waiting to find out what was happening.

Mr Reyes said at first he thought the explosion was a drill but realised it was more serious when he left his room. He said: "The floor shook and there was a loud explosion simultaneously. The power went out, it was pitch dark. I go into the hallway and it was pitch black - no lights, nothing."

Stewart Dyer, 40, who was staying at the hotel with his wife and nine-month-old daughter, added: "It was scary because we couldn't get the security lock off the door in the dark, and hence we couldn't get the door open. Someone thankfully heard us and gave the door a push and we were able to get out."

The hotel in central London that was rocked on Friday night by a blast has issued a statement, saying that 12 employees were injured in a "gas explosion."

More: 'Extensive damage' to hotel basement after blast

A top London hotel has been evacuated after a suspected gas explosion in the basement caused part of the building to collapse.

The Churchill Hyatt Regency hotel in Portman Square, central London, was evacuated following the suspected gas explosion at around 11.40pm yesterday and a number of people were being treated by paramedics.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said 500 people had to be evacuated from the hotel, forcing them out on to the street as a result of the explosion

Around 80 firefighters were on the scene, including appliances with specialist equipment to deal with collapsed buildings.

The full extent of the damage is not known at this stage and all people were accounted for, a spokesman for London Fire Brigade said.

The London Fire Brigade later tweeted:

The London Ambulance Service have now said that 14 people were treated for injuries after a blast at the Churchill Hyatt Regency Hotel in Portman Square in central London - with only five people requiring hospital treatment.

12 people have been injured, six of whom were taken to hospital following a suspected gas explosion at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Portman Square, central London late last night.

Six people were treated at the scene and were not taken to hospital, a spokesperson for the London Ambulance Service has said.

A further six casualties were taken to hospital for further treatment, with two men sustaining leg injuries in the blast.

It is thought that the blast occurred in in the basement caused part of the building to collapse, London Fire Brigade has said.

More: Emergency services at the scene of London hotel blast

A hotel has been evacuated after a suspected gas explosion at a hotel on Portman Square, central London, the Metropolitan Police have said.

Police say a "small number" of casualties are being treated.

Police were called to the hotel - thought to be the Churchill Hyatt Regency Hotel in Portman Square just before midnight.

The Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service are also in attendance.