One killed, one missing in explosion at Minnesota school

CHICAGO: A natural gas explosion Wednesday partially destroyed a school building in the US state of Minnesota, killing one person and injuring nine others. 

All students were accounted for, according to Minnehaha Academy, a private Christian school in Minneapolis serving grades kindergarten to 12, but officials said one staff member was missing and one was killed. 

The accident occurred Wednesday morning in the center part of one of the school´s buildings where a construction crew was working, emergency officials said.

Rescuers planned to search until late into the night to find the missing staffer. 

"It´s just a very precarious situation," said Minneapolis fire chief John Fruetel, adding that crews first had to stabilize the remaining building structure, which could take time, in order to conduct a search. 

A part of the building´s wall fell outwards due to the explosion, causing the roof to collapse, pancaking two floors into rubble, Fruetel said. 

Of the nine people sent to hospital, at least one was in critical condition, he said. 

The school organized a prayer service for later Wednesday.