Oven blast injures cooking students

One of the injured students leaves the university yesterday. Photo / Richard Robinson

Two students suffered facial burns yesterday when a gas oven at AUT's cooking school exploded.

The incident happened about 9.20am at the city campus in Wellesley St East.

St John paramedics treated the young women. One student was taken to hospital and the other was treated at the scene and taken home.

Auckland City senior station officer Phil Grace said the students were cooking on gas hobs. An oven below one of the units had somehow filled with gas, which had ignited.

"It caused the oven door to blow open and a bit of a gas explosion. Two female students got mild to moderate facial burns."

St John ambulance staff were quickly on the scene to administer treatment. Mr Grace said the two injured students were traumatised but should be okay.

The rest of the class were also shaken up: "I think they all got a big fright. A loud bang like that does tend to put you on edge."

An AUT spokeswoman said the explosion was an isolated incident, which was being investigated by the university.

"It's back to business as usual," she said. "The class has resumed, they're back into it."

There were five students in the class at the time, with one tutor. The remaining three students chose to remain in class and complete their lessons.