Kōriyama explosion
{{Short description|Gas explosion in Kōriyama, Japan}}
{{Old news|date=March 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox news event
|title = Kōriyama explosion
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|date = {{start date|2020|7|30|df=y}}
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|place = Kōriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
|coordinates = {{Coord|37|23|53|N|140|20|50|E|region:JP|display=inline}}
|also known as =
|cause = Gas leak
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|fatalities = 1
|reported injuries = 19
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The Kōriyama explosion occurred on 30 July 2020 at 8:57 a.m. Japan Standard Time, when a gas explosion destroyed an On-Yasai, a shabu-shabu restaurant located along {{ill|Sakura-dōri|ja|さくら通り (郡山市)}} 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.{{cite news|title=(Update 3) 1 Killed, 19 Injured in Fukushima Restaurant Blast|url=https://jen.jiji.com/jc/eng?g=eco&k=2020073001411|newspaper=Jiji Press|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=31 July 2020}} 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.{{cite news|title=福島 郡山 飲食店の建物で爆発 現場監督の男性死亡 18人けが|trans-title=Kōriyama, Fukushima explosion at a restaurant building killed one man and injured 18|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200730/k10012540391000.html|publisher=NHK|language=ja|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020}} An Ikinari Steak restaurant and a bank within the vicinity of the restaurant were also damaged.{{cite news|title=福島・郡山の飲食店爆発 写真特集|trans-title=Kōriyama, Fukushima restaurant explosion photo feature|url=https://www.jiji.com/jc/d4?p=kex730&d=d4_aum|language=ja|newspaper=Jiji Press|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020}} Four of the bank's occupants were among the injured.{{cite news|title=1 dead, 18 hurt in Fukushima explosion, gas leak suspected|url=https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200730/p2g/00m/0na/050000c|newspaper=The Mainichi Shimbun|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020|archive-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927081947/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200730/p2g/00m/0na/050000c|url-status=dead}} Damage caused by the blast was reported up to {{convert|450|m|ft|sp=us}} away from its epicenter at the shabu-shabu restaurant.
Investigation
File:Shabu-shabu On'yasai Ogikubo branch 2017-12-03.jpg
The cause of the gas explosion is currently being investigated by authorities, though it is suspected to have been caused by the failure of several propane cylinders.{{cite news|title=One dead, 17 injured in Koriyama blast|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20200730_21/|publisher=NHK World Japan|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020}}{{cite news|title=One killed and 17 injured after an explosion at a restaurant in Japan|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/30/one-killed-17-injured-explosion-restaurant-japan/|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020}} 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.{{cite news|title=飲食店爆発 運営チェーンの親会社 コロワイド社長 会見で謝罪|trans-title=Explosion of restaurant: Colowide restaurant chain apologizes at press conference|url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20200730/k10012541841000.html|publisher=NHK|language=ja|date=30 July 2020|accessdate=30 July 2020}} Fukushima Prefectural Police suspect that gas was leaking from the cylinders throughout the night prior to the blast, filling the building with their contents. This theory is backed up by reports from nearby residents who said they had smelled gas in the area the day before the explosion.{{cite news|title=前日工事「異臭した」 爆発事故、被害１８０棟超―福島・郡山|trans-title=Odor reported the day prior to explosion– Kōriyama, Fukushima|url=https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2020080100396&g=soc|publisher=Jiji Press|language=ja|date=1 August 2020|accessdate=4 August 2020|archive-date=25 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201225215335/https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2020080100396&g=soc|url-status=dead}} When the renovation worker entered the premises and turned on the power to the building, the gas was ignited.{{cite news|title=業過致死傷容疑で現場検証 郡山の飲食店爆発事故―福島県警|trans-title=Fukushima Prefectural Police: Investigation of fatal Kōriyama restaurant explosion|url=https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2020073100546|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200731143030/https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2020073100546|publisher=Jiji Press|language=ja|date=31 July 2020|archive-date=31 July 2020|accessdate=1 August 2020}} The restaurant's gas supplier informed the police on 5 August that they had noticed corrosion on the restaurant's gas pipes in June. The restaurant's owners claimed they had not acted on the information from the gas supplier because the store was closed to business.{{cite news|author=Kyodo|title=郡山爆発、点検でガス管腐食指摘 6月末に業者、飲食店に交換促す|trans-title=Koriyama explosion, gas pipe corrosion was pointed out during inspection at the end of June|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/95b2a61e121a23320cc9fca47dc732ae84412339|language=ja|publisher=Yahoo! Japan|date=5 August 2020|accessdate=8 August 2020|archive-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927162757/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/95b2a61e121a23320cc9fca47dc732ae84412339|url-status=dead}}