Two workers killed after returning to quake-hit Kumamoto mall before blast
Two store employees were killed in an explosion at the earthquake-hit Aeon Mall in Kumamoto after they were told to go back inside to secure cash, according to details reported by local media. The blast came after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture on 28 July, leaving 38 people dead in total. Seven of those fatalities were linked to the mall, underscoring the scale of the damage at the site.
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The employer of the workers, the general goods store Habita, apologised for what it called the loss of two precious lives. Its sales director, Goji Yuse, said the instructions given at the time were inappropriate and expressed deep regret. One of the dead has been named as 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, while the identity of the second employee has not been made public.
According to accounts from Otake's family, she had met a relative outside the mall after the earthquake and said she had to return because the company had asked her to move money from the cash register into a safe. Two company representatives later attended her wake and apologised to her family, according to local reporting. Yuse also said the company was considering how to proceed with the matter, indicating the incident may have wider internal and legal consequences.
The case has drawn attention because it raises questions about workplace safety and decision-making in the immediate aftermath of a major disaster. Most people in the mall evacuated soon after the earthquake, but some employees were still inside about an hour later when the explosion occurred. That timing has made the blast a focal point in the broader discussion of how businesses should respond when buildings are damaged and conditions remain unstable.
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Habita, founded in 1976, operates more than 10 stores across several prefectures, making the incident relevant beyond a single branch. The death of Otake, who relatives said had supported her mother after her father died three years ago, has also added a personal dimension to the public response. Her relative said that if she had not gone back inside at that time, she would still be with her family today.
What remains unclear is the exact cause of the explosion and whether any formal investigation will follow the company's apology. It is also not yet clear what responsibility, if any, will be assigned for the decision to send staff back into the building. The case is likely to remain under scrutiny as authorities and the company consider the next steps.
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