BRIEF: Blast at Drexel injures researcher

George Koerner, 29, of Springfield, was in stable condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to hospital spokesperson Sarah Jarvis. The hospital would not release any additional details about his injury. Fire officials said an air compressor in the lab exploded. Two other people were in the lab with Koerner, but they were not injured. Koerner is a senior research specialist in the school's Civil and Architectural Engineering Department, according to Drexel spokesperson Philip Terranova. Terranova said the cause of the blast, which occurred shortly before noon, was under investigation, but he had no further details. The building which houses the university's Geosynthetic Research Institute was evacuated as a precautionary measure. People were allowed back into the building Monday afternoon, but the wing where Koerner works remained closed as officials evaluated its structural integrity, according to Terranova. -- Associated Press

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