Bomb Explodes at Baghdad Hotel Housing NBC Offices

BAGHDAD, Iraq – A bomb exploded Thursday outside a hotel where NBC (search) has its Baghdad offices, killing a guard, injuring a network soundman and shattering windows, Iraqi police said.

The bomb was placed about three feet from the outside wall of the al-Aike Hotel (search) in a hut that housed the hotel's generator, police said.

Lt. Col. Salman Kareem said the bomb killed a Somali guard in his sleep and broke glass, but otherwise did little damage to the hotel, which is located in south-central Baghdad. Television footage showed damage to a stairway with its railing.

NBC correspondent Jim Avila said there were no signs on the building indicating NBC had quarters there.

A dozen NBC staffers were inside the building when the explosion occurred, and a Canadian soundman, David Moodie, was slightly injured by flying glass.

"I was awake," Moodie said. "A chest of drawers in the room fell on me. I sleep in the room immediately above the generator, so I guess I was lucky."

Moodie said he suffered one deep cut from flying glass and would require stitches. He said no other NBC employees were hurt.

"We've had no previous warnings. You come to a war zone and being a target is on your mind, but you try not to think about it."

NBC has been at that hotel for 2 months.

U.S. soldiers at the scene were distributing leaflets urging Iraqis to inform them of "terrorists making explosives that kill and wound Iraqi children. Those who make explosives don't care about who they kill. Their only aim is terrorism and oppression."

Osama Hasan, an employee at Nabil restaurant, adjacent to the hotel, witnessed the blast.

"We heard a powerful explosion and ran outside. I saw heavy smoke and dust and pieces of trash and wood and metal flying in the air. All the glass windows in the restaurant broke," he said.

The television network has four security guards, two from a British firm and two Iraqis hired for night duty.