Kōriyama explosion


The Kōriyama explosion occurred on 30 July 2020 at 8:57 a.m. Japan Standard Time, when an explosion destroyed an On-Yasai, a shabu-shabu restaurant located along in the city of Kōriyama in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. The blast resulted in the death of a person and the wounding of 19 other people. The restaurant was being remodeled at the time of its destruction. The man who was killed in the blast was part of the crew who was renovating the restaurant, though he was the only worker present at the time of the incident. An Ikinari Steak restaurant and a bank within the vicinity of the restaurant were also damaged, four of the bank's occupants were among the injured. Damage caused by the blast was reported up to away from its epicenter at the shabu-shabu restaurant.

Investigation

The cause of the explosion is currently being investigated by authorities, though it is suspected to have been a gas explosion that was caused by the failure of several propane cylinders. The company carrying out the renovation work at the time of the explosion claimed their work did not involve the gas cylinders. However, the renovation did include the rushed installation of an induction stove near the restaurant's gas stove on the day prior to the blast. Fukushima Prefectural Police suspect that gas was leaking from the cylinders throughout the night prior to the blast, filling the building with their contents. When the renovation worker entered the premises and turned on the power to the building, the gas was ignited.