Japan: Explosion in Tokyo’s Shimbashi, 4 injured

An explosion was reported from in a building in the bustling Shimbashi district of Tokyo and according to footage from the site smoke was seen billowing out from the site, Japan-based Kyodo News reported on Monday.

According to police cited by NHK-World Japan, four people are being treated for minor injuries. Two are employees from the restaurant where the explosion is believed to have taken place, while the other two are passersby.

An eyewitness made an emergency call to the police at around 3:15 pm.Police said that fire erupted on the second floor of the building, Kyodo News reported.

The site, located around 300 metres west of JR Shimbashi Station, is an area full of eateries and businesses, the report said. NHK-World Japan cited an eyewitness who had posted a video of the fire on social media.

“I suddenly heard an explosion so I looked on the road and there were things scattered everywhere,” he said.

A manager of a nearby Italian restaurant, cited by NHK-World Japan said that he heard the sound of the explosion from inside and thought it was earthquake. “Then I went outside and saw a fire on the second floor of the building” he was cited in the report.