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Food vendor charged over fatalities at fireworks festival blast in August

13 Comments

Kyoto prefectural police have arrested a food stall vendor over an explosion at a fireworks festival in Fukuchiyama on Aug 15 that killed three people and injured 60 others.

The 38-year-old vendor, who was himself injured and hospitalized, was charged with professional negligence resulting in death and injury, Fuji TV reported Thursday.

Police said their investigation showed that the explosion occurred when the vendor, who was at one of some 350 stalls at the site, opened the cap of a gasoline container to refill an electric generator. The highly pressurised gasoline was sprayed over a wide area, causing gas cylinders to blow up and three of the stalls went up in flames.

A 44-year-old woman, a 10-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man died of injuries received in the blast.

© Japan Today/AFP

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13 Comments
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The highly pressurised gasoline was sprayed over a wide area, causing gas cylinders to blow up and three of the stalls went up in flames.

Why was it pressurized? And don't these cans usually have pressure release valves?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Shouldn't they arrest the organizers? Who rented out the space to this guy and why did he have to supply his own power?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

i remember when i first came to japan and saw all these stalls. i thought to myself, "is that safe? one of these days a stall is going to blow up." unfortunately that day has come.

it's actually quite surprising that there aren't more of these accidents. there are tons of stalls at every festival, and the people running them don't always practice the best safety, or sanitary, procedures.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I know it is tragic but I don't think it was intentional, I hope JT will keep us informed on how this will turn out. Professional negligence resulting in death? 2 or 3 yrs in jail?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Nessie--What I heard is that he opened the gas tank of an electric generator while it was still running intending on refilling the tank. I could be wrong though. Also I don't think that explains the gasoline being under pressure, but fact is, I cannot imagine that any actually was.

My "most likely" explanation is that he opened the nearly empty gas tank on the generator which was of course, full of fumes. The fumes ignited and that explosion hit the full gas container in his hand, blowing gas everywhere which ignited as it was being sprayed by the explosion. Again, I might be wrong, but it makes more sense than the article.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Was at a beach bbq with some friends this summer and watched in horror as one of the guys there went to go and fill up the gas generator from a bigger fuel cannister, with a LIT CIGARETTE in his mouth. Felt like i could have been a witness (victim?) of a similar event. He smartened up when i yelled out at him... And thanked me for reminding him though

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I've always been nervous around these festival vendors' stalls. I understand this vendor is at fault, but the organizers and even the fire department should share some of the blame for letting this happen. Gasoline does not spontaneously combust just cos it was under pressure. There had to be an ignition source. Anybody wanna lay a bet he was smoking? Hopefully, this incident will make the organizers of these events and the fire department set strict standards with heavy penalties for these cowboys.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"Why was it pressurized? And don't these cans usually have pressure release valves?"

The gasoline can was most likely pressurized due to heat (i.e. ambient air temperature) because gasoline is highly volatile. Such cans are always equipped with pressure valves, but the valve (a thumbscrew) must be activated manually.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

To add to 3RENSHO, the vendor never activated the pressure release manually. After the gas was outside all day, the metal holding container, which is different than the north american ones that are plastic, had actually become balloon shaped from the pressure inside. The vendor was so busy, he didn't realize it and filling up the generator was more important. He neglected safety precautions because he was busy. The gas inside basically shot outwards when he opened it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

how unfortunate.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I often participate in festivals and run a stall. Others run gasoline electric generators. Accident s happen when there is carelessness. All generators must never be in operation when filling the tank. It was plain stupidity.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Was at a beach bbq with some friends this summer and watched in horror as one of the guys there went to go and fill up the gas generator from a bigger fuel cannister, with a LIT CIGARETTE in his mouth. "

So what? I will poor gasoline into a cup, take a lit cigarette and calmly dip it in the cup with my bare hand. The gasoline will put it out. A lit cigarette is not hot enough to ignite gasoline. Its 100% fact. Look it up on google, or youtube, or mythbusters. It is a myth from Hollywood and nothing more. Your ciggerate lighter on the other hand gets plenty hot enough to ignite gasoline fumes.

This is also true of all those stupid anti spark things you see at Japanese gasoline station. Never in the history of cars or gas station has there ever one been a single case of static electricity setting off gasoline. It has been proven that the whole myth of touching metal before you fill your car with gas is on old wives tale. Again look it up your selves.

There is so much "fact" that goes around, that is 100% pure old wives tales passed on from generation to generation.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

InakaRob, what are you rambling on about? A spark due to static electricity can ignite gasoline.

Also, depending on how hot the ambient temperature is around gasoline, a lit cigarette can easily ignite the vapors.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

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