An explosion tore through a building in downtown Tokyo on Monday, scattering debris across a busy intersection and sending smoke into the air, but the fire was soon contained and only four people suffered minor injuries, Japanese media reported.
Video footage aired by public broadcaster NHK showed flames through the windows of the shattered second floor of the building, located in the Shinbashi area of the Japanese capital.
The cause of the blast was not immediately clear but witnesses said they had smelled gas prior to hearing the explosion.
"I'd just got to work and was starting preparations when there was a really loud explosion," said Shinobu Nakagawa, a 26-year-old restaurant worker, who works on the first floor of the building. He said he grabbed his phone and rushed outside.
"Furniture and shards of glass were scattered everywhere, and when I looked up, smoke was surging upwards."
The area where the explosion occurred is near a railway station and packed with bars and restaurants popular with office workers.
US halts flights at busy East Coast airports due to communications issues
MS NOW, CNN and Politico to sue over White House ban
Pakistan says it killed 28 militants, Afghan Taliban and UN report 3 civilian deaths
New air traffic control failure delays flights at UK airports
Textile factory fire in southern Chinese city of Foshan kills 8
