An explosion Saturday ripped through a chemical factory in an industrial district of northern Tokyo, killing seven employees, injuring 19 other people and igniting a fire that destroyed nearly half of the complex, police and fire officials said.
Police said six victims were found dead in the factory while a seventh died at a hospital of burns.Four of the injured where reported in serious condition with burns covering their bodies.
The explosion occured at 10:40 a.m. in a building of the Dai-ichi Chemical Industries complex, where 15 employees were packing highly volatile benzoyl peroxide, the chemical plant's main product used in making plastics, officials said.
Fire officials said they suspected the explosion was caused by mishandling of the chemical, which can explode if subjected to heat or sudden movement, they said.
The explosion caused several other explosions and ignited a fire that gutted nine buildings of the 20-building factory, officials said.
Crews if 45 fire engines battled the fire for nearly two hours before bringing it under control and another hour and a half to extinguish it, the officials said.
A total of 51 people were working at the plant at the time of the explosion, and most of the victims were employees, officials said.