CHIBA (Kyodo) — An explosion ripped through a chemical plant in Chiba Prefecture east of Tokyo on Tuesday, killing two female workers and injuring six others, police and firefighters said.
Kyoko Hayashi, 50, and Kimiyo Iwata, 36, died, and six other workers who were working with them sustained minor injuries, such as sickness from inhaling smoke.
The police have started investigating on suspicion that the blast may have involved professional negligence resulting in the deaths and injuries.
The blast hit a plant in the town of Tonosho, some 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Tokyo, operated by chemical maker Toyo Gosei Co. at around 10:25 a.m.
Fire followed the blast at the plant which produces materials for liquid crystal displays for television sets. The fire was mostly put out 20 minutes after the blast but flared up again before being extinguished about 1:05 p.m.
Nine people, including the two dead and six injured, were working on the first floor to put extremely flammable chemical powders into aluminum bags, the police said. The plant employs about 200 people.
Toyo Gosei — based in Ichikawa and Chiba Prefecture — makes and sells such products as organic chemicals, solvents, photosensitive materials and materials for electronic display units.
