MITCHELL COUNTY – Students and a teacher suffered minor injuries from a chemical reaction experiment explosion outside St. John’s Catholic School, 209 South Cherry, in Beloit on Wednesday.

“We were demonstrating a chemical reaction using sulfuric acid and table sugar for a middle school class,” said Assistant Principal Joe Holdren.

“The reaction gives off heat and carbon,” he explained.

“We were doing the demonstration outside and the flask overheated.”

The students were standing just a few feet away and were hit by the acid and flying glass.

Ten students were treated for minor cuts and burns, according to the emergency room staff at Mitchell County Hospital.

All returned to school later in the day.