HUTCHINSON — A judge Friday sentenced a Hutchinson college student to five years in prison for starting a fire while conducting chemical experiments in his apartment.

District Judge Trish Rose sentenced 23-year-old Chase Coble, a Hutchinson Community College chemistry student, who was convicted last month of aggravated arson.

Coble contends that he was conducting experiments in his 12th-floor apartment, creating chemical heat to meld metal to plastic. He says there was nothing nefarious about what it. The flash fire set off sprinklers and alarms, which alerted authorities.

Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder says Coble had done at least 50 experiments in the apartment, with ingredients including chlorine gas. He says Coble also removed a window and threw items in the alley below in an apparent attempt to hide them.  Coble, who is from the Salina area, was attending Hutchinson Community College at the time of the explosion and fire.