Ireland’s showjumping manager is hoping there will be no more shocks in store this week after escaping injury when a fire broke out in his Dublin hotel room yesterday.
Robert Splaine and his son, David, were evacuated from the Burlington Hotel after a fridge exploded in their room.
Mr Splaine and his son were woken up abruptly at 5am by a bang followed by a strong smell.
"It was a bit of a shock to hear such a loud sound so close but when we switched on the light we could see no signs of what might have caused the explosion," said Mr Splaine.
"The room, however, was soon filled by a very pungent odour and at that point the staff of the hotel came to the door and told us the hotel was being evacuated."
Six units from Dublin Fire Brigade attended the scene at 5.20am. A fire brigade spokesperson said the hotel was evacuated and a very small fire in one of the rooms was brought under control immediately.
A hotel spokesperson said the building was evacuated as a precautionary measure.
Mr Splaine, who runs an equestrian centre and stud farm in Belgooley, Co Cork, and his son, a jockey, were eventually allowed to return to the hotel where they were given another room.
"I was told later that the cause of the explosion was a gas canister, that was one of the components of the back of the empty fridge in our room," said Mr Splaine.