Swedish school evacuated after suspected terror explosion

Over 1,000 students were evacuated from the secondary school in Hassleholm, southern Sweden following an explosion on Thursday morning, Swedish Television SVT reported.

Police and emergency services were alerted when the explosion occurred and a man in his 20s with connections to the school was arrested on site, suspected of creating the explosivess. He is yet to be interrogated.

"We dispatched in response to a fire alarm and when we got there we were told that there had been an explosion," said Per Cederholm, local police district manager in Hassleholm.

"There was a loud bang, all students were evacuated and are now safe with staff from the school," Eva Andersson, head of Education for Children and Education in Hassleholm, told SVT.

No one has been reported injured, and as yet police are unable to comment on the type of explosives or the extent of the damage. The National Bomb Guard is on site to secure evidence and ensure there are no additional explosives at the school.

Local police are treating the incident as a terrorist offense. "Being in a public place, we believe the explosion charges were intended to harm other people," says Cederholm.

Andersson told SVT that as far as she knew, no threats had been made against the school. "That someone wants to cause destruction or put our students in some form of danger feels terrible."

An investigation into the attack is underway and will cover the school grounds as well as the suspect's registered residence. The Swedish Security Service (Sapo) is assisting.