MONTPELLIER (France) - FRENCH police say seven people were injured when explosives they were handling went off, causing a blast at a student housing unit.

Six injured from the blast early on Wednesday in the southern city of Montpellier have been taken to the hospital and are being treated for burns and burst eardrums.

Authorities are searching for a seventh person, who fled the scene.

Police say the seven appeared to have been trying to build a bomb and that they had been drinking.

The explosion took place in the room of a chemistry student and destroyed two neighboring rooms. About 100 students were evacuated following the pre-dawn explosion. -- AP