A quiet Friday night dinner at the Trans Asia Hotel in Colombo 1 to celebrate a friend’s birthday turned into a nightmare that will be etched in my mind forever.
Our first reaction, on hearing that two LTTE planes were flying towards Colombo, was to rush out of the Trans Asia Hotel and head home immediately. Just then there was a power cut and we were left in darkness. Our desire to leave was further magnified.In true Sri Lankan style, instead of taking cover on hearing the first shots being fired and seeing the flares in the night sky, I walked towards the glass wall of the Long Feng Chinese Restaurant to get a closer look at the action, little realising how badly we would be affected.
As the firing kept getting closer, I realised that this was not like the other times when I had witnessed air raids. This time I was in the middle of one.
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| Flashes, gunfire and searchlights light up the night sky during the air raid |
While my family and I and other diners huddled under tables, wondering what was happening, the restaurant staff behaved admirably. They kept telling us it was going to be okay. While the explosions kept getting louder, we could still hear the staff trying to reassure us.
The loudest explosion caused the entire glass wall of the restaurant to shatter. At that point I thought this night would be the end for me and my loved ones.
We then heard a man’s voice calling out and asking us to follow him, which we did hurriedly, leaving our possessions behind. Using flashlights, the staff led us to the kitchen where we thought we would be safe.
As I looked around the kitchen, I saw blood on the floor – the blood of hotel employees who had sustained injuries while trying to help the guests. We must have all had the same thought: What will happen to us? Was the whole city under attack? Are our loved ones safe?
The only faces that gave us comfort were those of the staff, who were smiling despite their own fear. They were constantly giving us hope and encouragement.
The firing seemed endless.
We were then told to follow the staff to another part of the hotel. When the fire alarm went off, we were told not to panic. Thankfully, no one did. We went through a long passage that led to a basement in the hotel. Once again there was nothing to do but wait.
Meanwhile, we were making frantic calls to find out what was going on outside. I heard that our part of town was the only area in Colombo under attack.
Finally, the firing started to die down. People started to relax. The heat, which we had not noticed earlier out of fear, now felt sweltering. Luckily, the staff provided us with refreshments.
The lights came on about 11.45 p.m., almost two hours after the first shots were heard. I could see relief on all the faces around me.
Although it was safe to leave, no one seemed to want to go. Again, in true Sri Lankan style, we ventured upstairs to survey the damage. The restaurant looked surreal with all the shattered glass.
We went down to the car park, forgetting to collect the things we had left behind. But in a moment a staff member appeared, bearing all our goods, including the birthday gifts.
This is one experience I do not want to go through again, but then again I keep thinking it could have been worse.
The staff at the Trans Asia Hotel were outstanding in the way they handled a crisis situation, looking after their guests and staying calm and cheerful themselves. From the moment the lights went out to the moment the lights came on again, they kept reassuring us and telling us that everything was going to be all right. My family and I are ever grateful to them for looking after us so well and doing all they could to make us feel comfortable in a very uncomfortable situation.
Thank you, Trans Asia staff: Be proud of the heroic way you handled an extremely difficult situation.
Prithiva Dharmadasa, Colombo 5 |
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