Seven injured in Saitama blast.

At roughly 8:30 on Thursday night, an explosion occurred in the town of Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, about 10 minutes north of Tokyo. The explosion didn’t occur at a factory, gas station, or any other place where you’d assume there’s a comparatively higher chance of something blowing up. Instead, the blast came bursting out of a third-floor corner unit of a 15-story apartment building.

▼ Video of the moment the explosion took place

On those occasions when explosions do happen in private residences, a gas leak is often to blame, but that wasn’t exactly the cause here, since “leak” implies an unintentional introduction of gas. The occupant of the apartment, a Chinese national in his 40s, had deliberately opened up his gas valve. “I was going to kill myself, so I opened up the gas valves,” he told investigators, “but I didn’t die, and I got scared.” Coming to his senses, the man closed the valve and opened his window. Unfortunately, he then decided to smoke a cigarette, and when he attempted to light it, the flame ignited the gas that still remained inside the apartment, triggering the explosion.

The man suffered burns all over his body, and six other residents of the building sustained minor, non-life-threatening injuries. 148 residents were temporarily evacuated, and the blast was strong enough to shatter the windows of an office building some 60 meters (197 feet) away from the apartment.

▼ The state of the apartment the next morning, with its balcony railing blown out

The full severity of the man’s burns have not been reported, but he was apparently in good enough condition and feeling sufficiently energetic to physically assault a police officer after being taken to the hospital, upon which he was arrested for obstruction of official police duties.

If you or someone you know is in Japan and having suicidal thoughts, there are people here to help. Click here for more information.

Source: NHK News Web, Nitele News
Top image: Pakutaso
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