An explosion is believed to have occurred Monday night at a factory of
An official of the cement company said an off-grid power system on the premises of the factory in Hidaka,
A local fire department received an emergency call at around
Following the explosion, a forest near the factory also caught fire but the blaze was quickly put out, according to firefighters.
Residents around the factory heard a large explosion, with a woman who lives about 2 kilometers from the factory saying there was a loud noise and shaking.
"My daughter was on her way home from a cram school and was surprised to see something that looked like snowflakes falling," the woman added.
==Kyodo
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