May 29, 2006 - 16:37 AMT
Explosion Hit Airbus Plant in France
An explosion hit an Airbus factory in southern France on Monday, injuring at least five people, emergency officials said. The reason for the blast was unclear. Two people suffered serious injuries, according to the regional fire and rescue department. Rescue teams surrounded the aircraft plant, in the city of Toulouse in the French Pyrenees.

According to preliminary data, the explosion happened in a building containing a hydraulic press, what caused the building to collapse. The cause of the blast, which occurred at 7:45 a.m. (0545 GMT), was not immediately clear, said Associated Press.

Toulouse is home to Airbus Industry, one of the world's two largest manufacturers of commercial airliners.

To remind, on the night of May 3 Airbus-320 belonging to Armavia national carrier crashed in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport killing all of 113 people aboard, including 6 children and 8 crewmembers. Among them were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and one Georgian citizen, while the rest were Armenian citizens.