Johannesburg - The Proteas were "safe and calm" after a gas blast in their hotel in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Wednesday, Cricket SA spokesperson Gordon Templeton said. "Shortly after the blast, which occurred on the eighth floor of the hotel at about 08:00 (Trinidad time), all guests were evacuated and taken to safety by emergency personnel," 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."

No member of the Protea entourage was harmed.

The team is staying in the Hilton Hotel for the group stage of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in the West Indies.

The French news agency AFP reported that the Pakistanis were having breakfast at the time of the blast. Irish and Canadian players however were not among those who had to leave the premises, having already left for practice.

Four fire engines were at the scene but no official comment was immediately available.

Pakistan paceman Mohammad Sami told AFP he had seen a lot of smoke when evacuating the hotel.

"I was on the sixth floor when a security man came to my room and asked me to vacate the hotel," he said.

"I saw a lot of smoke coming out from the corridor so I ran down."

Pakistan captain Inzamam ul-Haq was unfazed by the evacuation, saying he had been told that the team had had to leave the hotel "as a precautionary measure".

Around 150 people were evacuated from the hotel and moved away to a safer location. Three hotel employees were taken to hosipital.