Soldier threatens to blow himself up in army depot

A FRENCH soldier angry about being forced to retire holed himself up in an army depot containing 60 tonnes of explosives and threatened to blow it up on Saturday.

The authorities led an evacuation of hundreds of residents from nearby villages.

The 46-year-old warrant officer on Saturday seized control of the warehouse where he works near the town of Fere-Champenoise, about 60 miles east of Paris, officials said.