PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) – South Africa, Pakistan, Canada and Ireland cricket players were yesterday evacuated from their Trinidad hotel after leaking gas caused a blast.

Three staff members at the Hilton Hotel were taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital with undisclosed injuries, but none of the players or team officials were injured, hotel staff said.

“Shortly after the blast, which occurred on the eighth floor of the hotel at about 8:00 am, all guests were evacuated,” Cricket South Africa media liaison officer Gordon Templeton said in a statement.

“It is unclear as to what caused the blast, but the entire team is safe and calm has returned to the hotel.”

Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi was oblivious to the blast until hotel staff knocked on his door.

“I have no idea what happened. I had just woken up when the security man knocked on the door and said ‘get out of the room’,” he said.

“I went back to sleep. Then he knocked again, and said ‘get out of the room’. After that, I realised something was serious. Then I did and went downstairs.”

Guests were allowed to return to their rooms around 4 1/2 hours after the evacuation.

All teams, except for Pakistan, decided to leave the vicinity of the hotel while police and fire crews investigated.