An explosion occurred at a cement factory near
Local police and
The explosion damaged windows of about 20 vehicles in the parking lot, according to the police, while firefighters said the blaze spread to a forest near the factory but was quickly put out.
A local fire department received an emergency call at around
Residents around the factory heard a large explosion, with a 38-year-old 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.
A 25-year-old resident of neighboring Sakado told
The man said he was able to return home in his ash-covered car, but there were other vehicles with broken windshields.
==Kyodo
© Kyodo News International, Inc., source