Fourteen people were injured in an explosion on May 19th at the construction site for the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel. The 30-story building is located on Harbor Drive near the San Diego Convention Center. The blast happened around 2:00 p.m. on the fifth floor, knocking out the northern side of the fourth to seventh floors of the hotel. It was discovered that the explosion was the result of a natural gas leak inside the hotel. Of the fourteen individuals hurt, three were injured critically. The three recieved burns that covered up to 35% of thier bodies, and were placed in medically-induced comas. Nine construction workers were taken to the UCSD Medical Center burn unit, and four others were transported to Scripps Mercy Hospital. One firefighter recieved a minor hand injury.

The fifth floor of the hotel is where the utility equipment is housed, and investigators believe that leaking gas exploded from boiler flames or an electrical spark. The full investigation could take as long as six months, but the damage is already worth an estimated $5 million. The Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel is being developed by two national firms: Portman Holdings and Phelps Program Management. Phelps Program Management is part of Hensel Phelps, which has violated federal OSHA standards ten times since 1974.

 If you or someone you know has been injured, contact the law firm of Estey & Bomberger in San Diego.