Person taken to hospital after 'explosion' at university

A person was taken to hospital after an "explosion" on the University of Leicester campus. The incident happened in the Henry Wellcome Building yesterday (Tuesday, September 24). Firefighters were called to the scene at 11.50am.

A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service said the cause of the fire was accidental. An attachment between a gas canister and a Bunsen burner was “leaking", and as a result, paper next to the burner caught fire, and there was an "explosion of a small camping cylinder", the fire service said. No further details of the incident have been released.

The fire service initially told LeicestershireLive that "100 per cent damage" had been caused to the room, on the first floor of the building. However, the university has subsequently told LeicestershireLive that there was "no fire damage to the room".

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The fire service spokeswoman said no injuries were reported. One person was taken to hospital as a precaution.

A University of Leicester spokesman said: “The impact is being assessed and there is some localised damage. One staff member has been taken to hospital as a precaution.

“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and students is our highest priority and the building has been evacuated while a full investigation is carried out.”

The fire service said the incident had been handed over to the university’s estates team.

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