http://www.ad.nl/buitenland/3404910/Tientallen_gewonden_bij_explosie_in_Frankrijk.html
vrijdag 31 juli 2009
Tientallen gewonden bij explosie in Frankrijk
RENNES - Door een explosie in een metaalgieterij in het noorden van Frankrijk zijn vrijdag volgens de brandweer zeker 46 mensen gewond geraakt. De ontploffing had plaats in een klokgieterij in Villedieu-les-Poele, een stadje in Normandië.
Op het moment van de explosie vond net een demonstratie voor bezoekers plaats.
(ANP)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jCqp2TBhpVSMl639fgDxSHp9BUWwBlast at French bell foundry leaves 46 injured
(AFP) – 8 hours ago
VILLEDIEU-LES-POELES, France — Forty-six people invited to watch a special casting of a church bell at a foundry in northern France were injured on Friday when an explosion showered them with molten bronze.
Most of the guests suffered from minor burns and smoke inhalation but six were rushed to hospital following the blast at the Cornille-Havard foundry in the Normandy town of Villedieu-les-Poele, firefighters said.
One person suffered serious burns and was flown by emergency helicopter to a hospital in Nantes.
Police said the explosion was caused by the ignition of a dust cloud.
"This explosion caused fumes and melted bronze to be projected on the visitors," said an official from the local gendarmerie.
The visitors had been invited to watch the smelting works of a 6.3-tonne bell for a church in Mulhouse, eastern France, when the blast occurred around midday, said the foundry's director Paul Bergamo.
"The mould of the bell shot up and there were fumes and bronze emissions," said Bergamo.
Several ambulances and some 60 rescuers were dispatched to the foundry located in the town centre to deal with the emergency at the height of the holiday season.
One of the few remaining bell-manufacturing foundries in the world, the Cornille-Havard factory often organises public demonstrations at its smelters for tourists and clients.
The foundry, which employs 18 people and specialises in manufacturing one-of-kind pieces, was shut down for the remainder of the day, said Bergamo.
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