Japan Shopping Mall Disaster: Earthquake Followed by Explosion Leaves Dead and Injured

Workers inside the mall said they were thrown to the ground or trapped in clouds of dust when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the area on Tuesday. The quake shook the building violently, but the worst disaster came about an hour later when a massive explosion ripped through the shopping complex.

Hundreds of shoppers and employees who had been evacuated to safety watched in horror as the blast tore through the structure, exposing steel beams and sending debris flying across the parking area.

Emergency responders, initially hesitant to enter the damaged building due to fears of further collapse, rescued eight people from the site early Wednesday. Three of those rescued were confirmed dead, while the condition and whereabouts of four mall workers remained unknown, according to mall operator Aeon.

The company said it was investigating the possibility that a gas leak caused the explosion. “I thought a bomb had exploded,” Takateru Sonoda, a 41-year-old owner of a nearby combined hair salon and café, told Japanese news agency Jiji Press.

“There were people shouting for others to evacuate, sirens were ringing, and nearby roads were completely blocked. It was a scene of panic,” he said.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the rescue operation as a “race against time” and said around 170 soldiers had been deployed to support emergency teams searching for survivors.

Mall Had Recently Reopened After Safety Upgrades

The affected shopping mall, the largest in the prefecture, had reopened just last month after major renovations aimed at rebuilding the complex following a previous devastating earthquake.

The mall was badly damaged during the magnitude 7.3 Kumamoto earthquake in April 2016. After redevelopment, operators highlighted improved safety measures, including earthquake-resistant ceilings and stronger structural features designed to increase resilience.

Despite these improvements, employees said Tuesday’s earthquake caused severe disruption. One worker at one of the mall’s nearly 200 stores told Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper that the building shook for around 10 seconds, forcing him to his knees.

A 22-year-old employee working at the mall’s cinema said the earthquake created a thick cloud of dust that made it difficult to see. Following emergency procedures, mall staff quickly evacuated more than 200 shoppers and employees to the parking area, where many took shelter inside their vehicles amid intense summer heat.

However, some people reportedly returned inside the building before the explosion occurred. Kazuya Tsurunaga, who was cleaning broken dishes and glasses at a pub about 300 meters from the mall, said he was shocked by the blast.

“A huge cloud of smoke rose into the sky, and because the wind was blowing toward our shop, it felt like volcanic ash was falling around us,” he told Japanese broadcaster TBS.

Gas Leak Suspected as Possible Cause of Explosion

For several hours after the explosion, police and firefighters were unable to fully enter the damaged structure because aftershocks increased the risk of further collapse. More than 100 aftershocks were recorded in Kumamoto by the end of Tuesday.

Video recorded by a police officer who entered the site early Wednesday showed large parts of the ceiling had collapsed, shop fronts had been destroyed and furniture was scattered throughout the building.

Japan’s government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said rescue workers reported smelling gas at the site.

A television correspondent also reported that emergency vehicles repeatedly warned people to stay away from the mall due to concerns over a possible gas leak.

Kihara said the mall used liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is stored in large containers rather than delivered through underground pipelines.

Officials from Japan’s gas industry said both pipeline gas and LPG systems have safety mechanisms designed to automatically stop supply when abnormal pressure changes, leaks or strong seismic activity are detected.

According to the Japan LPG sales association, modern gas meters can automatically shut off supply during earthquakes measuring intensity level 5 or higher. Emergency suppliers can also remotely stop gas supply through radio systems if needed.

Aeon declined to comment on its gas supplier or specific safety procedures but expressed condolences to those who lost their lives and offered support to injured victims and their families.