- Title: FRANCE: Huge blast rocks French university killing one.
- Date: 25th March 2006
- Summary: (BN13) MULHOUSE, FRANCE (MARCH 24, 2006) (REUTERS) FIRE ENGINE OUTSIDE UNIVERSITY BUILDING, SMOKE POURING FROM BUILDING FIREFIGHTERS STANDING INSIDE LARGE HOLE BLOWN OUT OF SIDE OF BUILDING FIREFIGHTERS WALKING TOWARDS BUILDING CLOSE UP OF HOLE BLOWN OUT OF BUILDING WIDE OF BUILDING WITH RED TAPE AROUND AREA OF BLAST FIREFIGHTER CARRYING CHEMICAL BOTTLES AWAY FROM SCEN
- Embargoed: 9th April 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes,Education
- Reuters ID: LVAC0LO0UNW1AJPDZ6UTSXZ5RGMW
- Story Text: One person died and a second was seriously injured in a large explosion that destroyed a chemistry research building at a French university on Friday (March 24) in the eastern city of Mulhouse, officials said.
Ten people had been taken to hospital with slight injuries, but fears of the death toll rising steeply receded as a number of missing people were accounted for.
A fire brigade official had said earlier that rescue services were looking for up to 20 people.
Some 150 people were evacuated from the building after the explosion went off on the first floor of the building, the fire brigade said. The cause of the explosion was not known.
Rescue workers faced thick smoke when they arrived at the ENSCMu institute of chemistry on the university campus.
The University said the dead man was a professor at the institute, which has some 650 students and staff.
The UNEF student union said the complex was not occupied by students as part of protests against a youth jobs law that have hit other universities around France.
The ENSCMu chemistry institute was founded in 1822 and says it is by far the oldest chemical engineering school of its kind in France. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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