Gas leak suspected in shopping mall blast following earthquake in Japan

A powerful explosion that struck an Aeon shopping mall after the earthquake on Japan's Kyushu island may have been caused by a gas leak, according to a Japanese fire safety expert.

Professor Kazunori Kuwana of the Tokyo University of Science, who specialises in fire research, said the earthquake may have damaged the building's air conditioning system, leading to a gas leak that triggered the blast, Caliber.Az reports, citing Japanese media.

He noted that large facilities consume significant amounts of gas, so a powerful explosion can occur.

The explosion reportedly occurred about an hour after the earthquake and caused the collapse of the shopping mall's second floor.

Footage broadcast by local media from helicopters showed extensive damage to the building, including a partially collapsed wall that exposed its steel framework and severe damage to the roof.

According to broadcaster TBS, the incident may have resulted in a large number of fatalities. Japan's Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to assist in the rescue operation.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov