A powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan on July 28, leading to a chaotic situation at the large shopping center “Aeon Mall Kumamoto.” After successfully evacuating approximately 4,500 customers and staff members, the mall experienced a violent explosion about 50 minutes later. The incident resulted in the collapse of the second floor of the building, causing multiple casualties and individuals to go missing. Dashcam footage captured the breathtaking moment when the road was engulfed in a cloud of smoke and debris.
In response to the explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto, NHK reported that a vehicle’s dashcam captured the moment of the explosion as it passed by the vicinity of the shopping center. The footage showed the explosion causing debris and other items to scatter, with a thick smoke quickly blanketing the entire road.
Images from the scene after the explosion revealed partial collapse of the second floor of the mall, the exterior covered with greyish-white dust, and multiple vehicles in the parking lot damaged by the explosion. According to TBS, a taxi driver who was parked near the mall at the time recalled hearing a loud bang, describing it as a shockwave as if the air rapidly expanded.
The driver mentioned that the vehicle was parked around 30 meters away from the collapsed outer wall, and at that moment, they thought the windshield had shattered, with the interior of the car instantly filled with dust and a pallid scene. Based on the driver’s recollection, the explosion occurred around 5:45 p.m.
Official reports indicated that the earthquake struck the area at around 4:27 p.m. Aeon Group stated that at the time of the earthquake, there were approximately 4,500 customers and staff members inside the building. Staff members promptly responded to the earthquake and successfully guided all customers to evacuate outside by around 5 p.m. However, 50 minutes later, an explosion happened in the central area of the second floor’s southern side.
Confirming the details, Aeon Group stated that at the time of the explosion, there were still eight counter staff members remaining inside the building. The incident has already claimed the lives of three individuals, with one in cardiopulmonary arrest; search and rescue teams are currently making efforts to locate three additional missing staff members.
Regarding the cause of the explosion, investigators currently suspect a possible leak of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). However, the LPG steel cylinders located in the “LPG gas storage tank area” on the exterior of the mall remained intact after the incident.
Japanese television channel aired the analysis by former Tokyo Fire Department expert Yasuo Sato, suggesting that the earthquake may have caused displacement or rupture of the main gas pipelines, leading to the accumulation of a large amount of gas inside the building, eventually igniting and triggering a powerful explosion, resulting in such significant damage.
Sato highlighted that large gas storage tanks are typically equipped with emergency shut-off valves that automatically stop the gas supply upon sensing a strong earthquake. If the safety device functioned correctly at that time, a gas leak theoretically should not have occurred. Further investigation is required to determine the specific details of the malfunction.