On 13 May, an oxygen cylinder unattended leaning against the wall on the passage side exploded injuring four male and female staff of wholesaler in the building of Nagasaki Fish Market in Nagasaki City of Nagasaki Prefecture.

According to Police Station of Nagasaki Prefectural Police Department, the accident took place at part of the first floor of the two-storied building at about 7’oclock on the morning of the same day. The burst wave injured four male and female staff working for the wholesaler to cause slight wounds like burns or hearing difficulty. There were some property damages including the fall of ceiling about 10m high and wide which broke the front windshield of a parking truck near the building.

The fish market uses O2 cylinders mainly to send oxygen to live fish preserves. The cylinder which burst this time is said to have been set against the wall on the passage way left unattended since about 10 years ago. The surface of the cylinder was found to be so much corroded in dark-brown as if it were an acetylene cylinder. The cause has not yet been clarified, and the police is now investigating the cylinder owner and its maintenance condition on suspicion of professional negligence resulting bodily injury.

Responding to the accident, the Kyushu High-pressure Gas Cylinder Control Committee told that they were surprised at the accident which occurred for the first time in a fish market and intended to take an enlightening measure for appropriate handling to prevent occurrence of another case upon clarification of the cause.