An electrical fire left guests at an exclusive beach resort without power for most of yesterday.

The minor blaze happened around 12.30 p.m. at the Coral Beach Club.

It was controlled and extinguished promptly by firefighters, and did little damage to the hotel.

Assistant manager Chris Wardman said damage could have been much worse.

"The Fire Service should be commended for their quick response today," he said. "I called 911 and literally within a minute of me hanging up, the truck was already here."

Mr. Wardman said a strange odour was his first hint that something was wrong.

"I was in the wine cellar organising some things when I noticed a strange smell but the cellar is right next to the kitchen so I assumed it was coming from there," he said. "It was not until I walked into the hallway and was hit with a cloud of thick noxious smoke that I realised something was wrong."

Power disappeared shortly after, he said.

"When I knew everyone was safe and aware of the situation I called 911. The authorities arrived within minutes and I stepped back and let them handle the fire."

Adding to the problem was that the resort's generators are currently being replaced. Without back-up power the hotel was left completely in the dark.

"This is a prime example of time catching up with some of Bermuda's older hotels," said Mr. Wardman. "But other than a little smoke and some time without electricity, there was no disruption to the guests the people on the beach didn't even notice."

Mr. Wardman thanked everyone involved for their help and teamwork.

"Everything went how it was supposed to in this type of situation," he said. " We have escape routes for every part of the hotel but none were needed. The Bermuda Fire Service saved the day and the staff did more than their part to avert what could have been a much more serious situation."