Mexican hotel in fatal blast fined

The Mexican hotel involved in the Nov. 14 deadly explosionthat killedseven people,includingfive Canadians, has been fined by local building authorities for construction violations.

The Grand Riviera Princess Hotel in Playa del Carmen is being fined almost six million pesos $481,000 US by municipal officials because the original building plans filed to obtain construction permits did not match the completed structure.

Inspectors also noted odours in the hotel that may conflict with local environmental regulations.

The explosion, which officialshave saidmay have been caused by a buildup of gas from a nearby swamp, tore through a lounge of the 676-room hotel in the tourist region known as the Mayan Riviera last month.

Canadians from British Columbia andAlbertawere killed in the explosion along with two hotel employees; 18 people, many of them from Ontario, were injured.