MOSCOW, October 25 (RIA Novosti) - Close upon 800 people who were at the Sheraton Hotel in the US city of Phoenix, Arizona, have been brought to safety and are to stay at the Phoenix Civic Plaza Convention Center after blasts rocked the 31-storey building, an ABC15 correspondent reported Saturday.
All hotel guests and employees are in good health, and there are no reports of smoke inhalation or injuries.
The hotel near 3rd and Van Buren streets was promptly evacuated after firefighters received multiple reports of explosions that went off in the first floor or in the basement. All people who had businesses in the affected building have left the building.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the alleged blasts. Phoenix police told the ABC reporter that thick smoke was coming from the first floor and the basement when they arrived at the scene.
Earlier officials were cited as saying the fire could have been caused by an electrical issue. Power in the building is now shut off. There is no active fire.
Several explosions shook the Phoenix hotel at about 11:00 a.m. local time (19:00 GMT), prompting firefighters to block off the streets and sidewalks around the building.
