Japan firm says workers re-entered quake-hit mall before fatal blast
A company operating a shop inside a shopping centre in Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture has acknowledged that two employees who later died in a gas explosion had returned to the building after initially evacuating following a powerful earthquake.
The admission came days after the blast at AEON Mall Kumamoto, where an explosion believed to have been caused by leaking gas killed two workers and injured several others. The incident occurred after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck the region, prompting customers and staff to leave the complex.
According to the company Habita, the employees had been instructed to return to the store to place the day’s takings in a safe before the explosion occurred. The company said the instruction formed part of its standard procedures but added that it is reviewing its emergency response policies following the incident.
Company apologises to victims’ families
Japanese broadcaster RKK Kumamoto first reported the company’s explanation after speaking with Habita executives and relatives of one of the victims. Company representatives later met the family to apologise and provide an account of the events leading up to the explosion.
One of the victims was identified by Japanese media as 22-year-old Kurumi Otake. Authorities have not publicly released the identity of the second employee.
Officials said customers had already been evacuated from the shopping centre when the explosion occurred. Police and fire investigators continue to examine whether gas infrastructure damaged by the earthquake led to the blast.
Neither Kumamoto Prefectural Police nor local fire authorities have indicated whether any safety procedures were breached before the explosion. Investigators have not announced any criminal findings.
AEON Mall said it is cooperating fully with the investigation. The operator confirmed that evacuation measures had been carried out after the earthquake but has not commented on the company’s decision to send staff back into the building.
The explosion has prompted renewed scrutiny of emergency protocols for businesses operating in areas affected by major earthquakes, particularly regarding decisions to re-enter damaged buildings before authorities declare them safe. Investigators are expected to determine whether the building had sustained structural or gas-related damage before employees returned.
