Explosion in downtown Tokyo building, gas leak suspected to be the cause

An explosion was heard in a building in Shimbashi district of central Tokyo on Monday (July 3). Media footage showed flames and smoke emerging from a second-floor business. The city's fire department has said that four people have been injured.

"The sound of an explosion was also heard. A total of 32 fire trucks are at the scene," a fire department spokesman told AFP, declining to be named.

"Four people are injured, three of whom are conscious," he said, adding no details were yet available on the fourth person.

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It is not yet known what caused the explosion and the fire. But a gas leak is suspected. There was no immediate confirmation of this from the officials.

The fire started at 3:20 pm (0620 GMT).

"The sound was deafening. It was as if something huge was dropped from the top of the building -- it was an incredible bang," a male eyewitness told public broadcaster NHK.

"Pieces of paper were scattered all over at the nearby intersection. From the way they were scattered, I immediately knew it was an explosion," he said.

Local media is reporting on the incident. It has been reported that the explosion occurred in a bar on the second floor of the building. Those injured include a man and a woman in their 50s.

NHK reported that the manager of the bar told the police that explosion occurred when he lit a cigarette in the smoking area of the bar.

The building is reportedly eight stories tall. At the time of the explosion, the bar was preparing to open for the evening.

A gas leak?

NHK quoted a fire prevention expert who said that the explosion may have been caused by a gas leak at the bar.

"Judging from the situation at the scene, some kind of gas leaked into a room on the second floor and triggered an explosion," said Professor Sekizawa Ai of the Tokyo University of Science

"It seems there is no damage on the other floors and the explosion is not believed to have filled the building with gas."

The professor reportedly warned people to not approach the site until exact cause has been ascertained.

(With inputs from agencies)

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