Sydney college student has sulphuric acid thrown in his face in chemistry lab fight

A Sydney college student was in a coma after a classmate allegedly threw acid in his face and attacked him with a hammer.

According to the Fairfax media, two male students aged 25 and 26 had a fight inside a chemistry lab in the Chemical Sciences Building of the University of New South Wales.

"It’s alleged one student threw a chemical, believed to be sulphuric acid, in another student’s face before hitting him on the head with a hammer during an altercation," Fairfax cited a police statement as saying.

A 25-year-old was fighting for his life in a burns unit after being placed in an induced coma, while the 26-year-old man was treated for minor burns before being arrested.

Fairfax cited the head of the college's science faculty, Professor Merlin Crossley, as saying staff and students were in shock.

"We're all shocked and distressed," he said. "And we're going to be organizing counseling for any of the other students who were there. 

"We're obviously concerned about the welfare of the student [in hospital]. We'll be cooperating fully with the police."

According to Adelaide Now, two other people were also taken to the hospital with superficial burns.

The 26-year-old appeared in a Sydney court charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm and was refused bail.