LYON, France (Reuters) - A gas explosion in the centre of the eastern French city of Lyon injured 17 people on Thursday, of whom two were seriously hurt, a spokeswoman for the local authority said.
The explosion occurred on a pavement at around 11:30 a.m.British time in a busy neighbourhood where road works werebeing undertaken, and it set fire to an adjacent building.
A gas leak had been signalled before the explosion.
Passers-by as well as gas workers were among the injured.Two fireman who had been called to the scene were seriouslyinjured, the spokeswoman said.
Nearby buildings were evacuated and French televisionshowed footage of the cleared street strewn with debris fromthe blast.
(Reporting by Catherine Lagrange; writing by FrancoisMurphy in Paris, Editing by Matthew Jones)
