Fire Breaks Out during Demolition of Quake-damaged Chimney at Japan Paper Factory

A fire broke out Thursday during demolition work on an earthquake-damaged chimney at a paper factory in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, according to municipal fire officials.

The fire erupted as workers attempted to remove the broken tip of one of the factory’s chimneys. Television footage from NHK showed flames emerging from the damaged structure, with thick black smoke rising above the facility.

The municipal fire department said it received an emergency call from an employee at the Nippon Paper Industries factory Thursday evening. No injuries were reported, officials said.

Three of the factory’s five chimneys were severely damaged when a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck on July 28. An 80-meter (262-foot) chimney collapsed in the quake, killing nine factory employees.

The earthquake killed 38 people and destroyed or damaged about 36,000 houses and buildings. More than 2,000 people remain in evacuation centers, including school gymnasiums and community centers.

The cause of Thursday’s fire was not immediately known, fire officials said. Fourteen fire engines were deployed, and firefighters were still battling the blaze more than three hours after the emergency call.