WARSAW (Reuters) - Two young Poles have died of gunshot wounds and dozens have been injured after a gang attacked students celebrating the end of the academic year in the central city of Lodz.

"Up to a hundred hooligans attacked the students late Saturday night on the campus of Lodz University and then clashed with police with bricks, stones, bottles, and metal rods," provincial police spokesman Tomasz Klimczak told Reuters on Sunday.

Three policemen were injured in clashes, up to 70 people were treated for injuries, and 19 rioters were detained.

"I have never seen anything quite like it," the spokesman said, noting that the use of firearms in public disturbances was rare in Poland.

He said police brought the disturbances under control late on Saturday after firing at the rioters with rubber bullets.