Two workers were killed in an explosion at a shopping mall in Japan after their employer instructed them to re-enter the building following a strong earthquake. The incident occurred at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto prefecture after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on July 28.
Their employer, Habita, a general goods store, has apologized for the "loss of two precious lives." The two deceased individuals were among 38 people who died in the earthquake. Seven of the fatalities were associated with Aeon Mall.
"The instructions given at the time were inappropriate, and I truly regret them," Goji Yuse, Habita's sales director, was quoted as saying by NHK. The company is reportedly considering how to proceed.
One of the victims has been identified as 22-year-old Kurumi Otake. According to local media reports, Otake encountered a relative outside the mall after the earthquake and informed them that she had to return inside to move money from the cash register to a safe, as requested by her company. Company representatives confirmed this account to Otake's family during a wake on Sunday, where they offered apologies.
"Looking back now, it was not worth a life," Yuse told reporters at the wake, as reported by Kyodo. Otake's relative described her as a person with a "strong sense of justice" who supported her mother financially after her father's death three years prior.
While most individuals had evacuated Aeon Mall shortly after the earthquake, some employees remained inside. An explosion reportedly occurred about an hour later.
Habita, established in 1976, operates more than ten stores across multiple prefectures.