Explosive drama on campus
HUNDREDS of people were evacuated from Aston University after a mock explosion was staged to put emergency crews to the test.
Police, fire and ambulance crews from across the Midlands were involved in the training exercise held yesterday.
Dubbed Operation Shoeshine, the manoeuvre involved the removal and treatment of dozens of "casualties" after a pretend gas explosion ripped through buildings on the Coleshill Road campus.
Police set up a mobile command centre to oversee the operation, while firefighters wearing breathing apparatus searched the building for survivors.
