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A manhunt is underway in the southeastern French city of Lyon after at least seven people were injured in the explosion of a "nail bomb".
The blast was caused by a "home-made bomb" in a case containing "an explosive charge and nuts and bolts", which went off at 5.30pm local time, said the interior ministry. The explosion occurred in the centre of France's third-largest city outside a boulangerie in rue Victor Hugo.
Prosecutors have launched a terror probe into the attack.
According to French reports, police are actively seeking a male suspect in his early to mid-30s who placed the case on the ground and made his escape on a bicycle. According to BFMTV, security cameras picked up the man, who was wearing a hood, dark glasses and a black jumper and light shorts, shortly before the blast.
An eight-year old girl is reportedly among those hit by the blast but was not seriously hurt.
AFP cited police sources as saying that 13 people were injured and that 11 had been evacuated to hospital. Other reports suggested that seven had been injured. None are in a serious condition, according to the mayor of the second arrondissement of Lyon, Denis Broliquier.
French president Emmanuel Macron confirmed there had been an "attack in Lyon" but no deaths.
"My thoughts obviously go to the wounded and their families," he said during an interview.
In a sign of the seriousness of the attack, Edouard Philippe, the French prime minister, cancelled his appearance at the final rally of the Macron camp in Paris ahead of Sunday's European elections in France.
Christophe Castaner, the interior minister was travelling to the scene. In a tweet, he said he had ordered state authorities to "reinforce security at sites welcoming the public and sports, cultural and religions events".
The women's World Cup soccer tournament is scheduled to start in France on June 7. Lyon will host the semifinals, and then the final on July 7.
Police and soldiers patrolling as part of the anti-terror Vigipirate programme have closed off the area with a security cordon.
Local state authorities are asking inhabitants to avoid the district, situated near place Bellecour, Lyon's biggest square.
Emergency services and bomb disposal experts are at the scene.
"The security perimetre is being widened, lots of police on the scene," said Jean-Yves Sécheresse, deputy mayor in charge of security in Lyon.
Alexis Saillan, receptionist at a hotel near the explosion said he heard a "deafening blast".
"I saw people running in panic and heard some cries. Police told me it was a package bomb. They told us to stay indoors and to close the windows," he told BFMTV.
"We heard a big, muffled sound," one unnamed witness told France Info radio, who said that at the time there were "traffic jams in the one-way road and lots of people in rue Victor-Hugo".
David Kimelfeld, head of the Lyon area, said: "This is the first time that Lyon has been through such an episode."
He added: "We are worried when this type of attack happens, but we need to remain very cautious over the circumstances and not panic the population."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/05/24/eight-injured-nail-bomb-blast-french-city-lyon/
