Explosion rocks French chemistry school

Published on 24/03/2006 12:54

A HUGE explosion has destroyed a building at a graduate chemistry school in eastern France, leaving one dead and at least one injured.

The explosion occurred at 12.25 French time in the city of Mulhouse close to the border with Germany.

The town's mayor, Jean-Marie Bockel, told the AFP news agency: "One victim has died, another is lightly injured."

Reports indicate that the explosion happened on the ground floor of a three storey building at the Ecole Nationale Superieur de Chimie de Mulhouse, one of France's "Grandes Ecoles".

Witnesses report the explosion was followed by a fire and a huge cloud of black smoke.