Blast at holiday hotel injures mum and daughter

A British family were rushed to hospital after an explosion at a hotel pool bar in Tenerife.

The blast left an eight-year-old girl with burns to her neck and ear, while her mother suffered serious facial injuries.

Local police have now launched an investigation into Friday’s incident.

According to government sources on the island, medics were forced to transfer the youngster’s mum to a specialist burns unit.

A spokesman for the Bahia Principe Hotel, where the incident happened, claimed the woman’s husband and a second daughter avoided injury but were “obviously in shock”.

He added: “This was an accident and we still are not sure what went wrong. We are awaiting the investigation of the judicial police.

“The explosion took place in a metal buffet container by the pool which uses a flammable gel to keep food warm. The swimming pool is now open again and the hotel is back to normal.

“We would like to wish those who were injured a speedy recovery.”

The family hurt in the blast had only arrived on the island the day before the explosion and were due to stay for a week. They are understood to have booked their holiday through travel agency Thomas Cook.

A 38-year-old Belgian woman and a 34-year-old Spanish woman were also injured in the incident.

A spokesman for the Canary Islands government confirmed: “The British casualties included an eight-year-old girl who suffered non-serious burns to her neck and one of her ears, her mum who suffered severe burns to her face and scalp and her dad, who suffered minor abrasions.

“They were going to be transferred to the same hospital but a decision was taken to send the mother to a hospital in the capital Santa Cruz called Nuestra Senora de La Candelaria University Hospital because of the severity of her burns.”

A source close to the investigation added: “The major burns centres in Spain are in Seville, Madrid and Barcelona.

“The hospital said it had no plans to airlift the woman to one of those cities, although we understand she is still in a serious condition.”

The 220-room hotel Bahia Principe Hotel advertises itself as a perfect family destination. It sits on a cliff and boasts impressive views of the Atlantic and neighbouring La Gomera island.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are aware of an incident involving two British nationals and are providing consular assistance.

“We are currently checking but, based on what we know so far there was no British man injured.”

The Guardia Civil was unavailable for comment.