Nice hold firebomb investigation

The fireman (right) was injured when the bomb exploded

Nice have launched an investigation after a homemade firebomb thrown from the crowd injured a fireman during Sunday's 2-1 win over Marseille.

The fireman lost two fingers when he tried to pick up the bomb, thrown by Marseille fans, and the match was suspended for five minutes.

Nice security boss Andre Boch said: "He thought it was a flare and picked it up but it exploded in his hands.

"We are looking at television footage to identify those who threw the bomb."

Marseille fans were detained for two hours after the match, while police sniffer dogs were used to search them.

The volunteer fireman was taken to a hospital that specialises in hand injuries.

Boch said he was determined to find the fans responsible but admitted the bombs were very hard to detect.

"In the past four years there have been strong measures to prevent people from bringing these bombs into the stadium," he added.

"But they are only five centimetres in diameter and therefore are very hard to detect."

Marseille chairman Pape Diouf condemned the incident, saying: "Defeat is part of the game but what I will remember from this evening is this image of violence, which I strongly condemn."