Medical staff questioned after hospital trashing

Daily newspaper Le Parisien reported that ten members of staff at the Rangueil hospital in the southern city of Toulouse were detained earlier this week for questioning by police.

The charges date back to July 7th 2011 when a group of doctors and interns decided to celebrate the closure of an operating block in the hospital.

A senior doctor sent an email invitation to his colleagues for the night in question, advising them to come with "baseball bats to smash everything."

An intern was given the job of bringing alcohol and hi-fi equipment and then breaking a parking barrier so that those attending could park as close as possible to the building.

The wrecking party continued until around 2am when patients who were unable to sleep asked staff to break things up.

"Patients in the same building as the party asked security staff to help because the noise was keeping them awake," said a source quoted by Le Parisien.  "Windows, doors and walls had all been largely destroyed."

After the party-goers left the building a fire broke out and emergency services were called.

Fire extinguishers were found to be empty as part of the festivities had included a battle with their contents.

The fire led to the evacuation of some patients as well as €65,000 ($85,000) of damage.