Apparel giant Onward Holdings has confirmed that three of its employees died while working at Aeon Mall Kumamoto, according to Yahoo!ニュース. The deaths are linked to an explosion at the shopping center, which occurred amid the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake.
The company identified the three as staff members assigned to the mall location. Yahoo!ニュース reports the confirmation came after the blast, which has prompted ongoing search efforts by police to ensure no one remains trapped in the building, as detailed by NHKニュース.
The explosion has drawn wider scrutiny beyond the immediate site. In a related development, the governor of Tochigi Prefecture has ordered emergency inspections of LP gas facilities at prefectural buildings, according to 下野新聞社. That decision was made in direct response to the Kumamoto mall incident.
Separately, RKK Kumamoto Broadcasting reported on the death of a female store employee at the mall. Her mother said her daughter had returned to the shop because she was told she needed to put money in the safe. The mother is now calling on the company to tell the truth about what happened.
The exact cause of the explosion has not been stated in the available reporting. Police continue to search the site for any remaining victims, per NHKニュース. Onward Holdings has not yet released further details about the circumstances of its employees' deaths.
What to watch next: The outcome of the Tochigi LP gas inspections and any further statements from Onward Holdings or local authorities on the blast's cause.
