IRONSHORE, St James- — The reopening of RIU Reggae Hotel, which closed following Thursday afternoon’s blast which left maintenance manager Sederhori McIntosh dead and four others hospitalised, is hinged on the outcome of a probe now underway by the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

“The fire department is here, the municipal corporation is here and they are working assiduously to ascertain what went wrong and from there they will make a decision on when the hotel will be opened,” President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association Omar Robinson told reporters, who staked out in front of the property, Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Montego Bay Councillor Homer Davis, who was accompanied by members of the St James Municipal Corporation and met with hotel executives on Friday, disclosed that the hotel’s management has made plans to airlift one of the the workers who suffered severe burns to a medical institution in America.

“They (hotel operators) are actually planning to fly him (injured) out in an air ambulance to a burnt unit hospital in Miami for further treatment,” Davis revealed to members of the media Friday afternoon.

On Thursday about 3:30 pm, the 27-year-old McIntosh and four other colleagues were injured following the explosion of a boiler pump in the chiller room.

McIntosh reportedly died at hospital, while the other affected employees were admitted.

Meanwhile, the Montego Bay mayor was hopeful that members of Jamaica Fire Brigade, who are working assiduously to determine what triggered the blast, which injured the workers, would make their findings known soon.

“I am sure that in a matter of days or hours they will reveal their findings. So at this time… I am not a technical person… I was with my technical team from the Municipal Corporation and based on the nature of what took place, we are not competent to give a finding. So everything is left to the fire department to give their findings and they have assured me that in the next 12 to 24 hours their investigation would have been concluded and their findings will be made known,” Davis revealed.

The hotel’s guests have since been relocated to other properties in the hotel chain.

Meanwhile, Trudy Ann Frith, attorney- at -law from the law firm DunnCox, representing the hotel, expressed regret on behalf of the hotel’s management over the tragic event .

“As you know the matter is being investigated at this time. The hotel cannot comment as to the cause of the accident because, quite frankly, we don’t know, but we are awaiting the results from the fire department to determine our way forward. The hotel deeply regrets the loss of life that has occurred, and the injuries that has occurred and the hotel has been in contact with the victim’s families,” Frith commented.

In the meantime, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett also expressed deep regret at the passing of McIntosh and the injury of four other members of staff as a result of an explosion from a boiler pump this afternoon at the St James property.

“I am deeply saddened about the unfortunate accident that occurred at the Hotel RIU Reggae which resulted in several injuries and the loss of a life. I offer my sincere condolences to the staff of the hotel as they cope with the aftermath of this tragic incident. I also offer my support to the families and friends of the other injured staff members who are all receiving treatment in the hospital,” said Minister Bartlett.

He added: “The Ministry of Tourism will continue to monitor the situation and will be working closely with the hotel to ensure that the grieving families receive the necessary support during this difficult time.”

In the meantime, minister without portfolio with responsibility for housing, water and works, Dr Horace Chang visited the hotel where they met with the hotel’s top brass and members of technical teams from the fire brigade and the St James Municipal Corporation.

The adults-only property officially opened in November 2016.