Chemical plant blast kills one worker

Explosions at a chemical plant in western Japan on Sunday killed one worker and injured 16, including nearby residents. The blasts occurred at Mitsui Chemicals' Iwakuni-Ohtake facility, which straddles areas in Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures. The first explosion hit an adhesive plant shortly after 2 AM. A 22-year-old worker was killed and 11 others were injured. The blast broke windows of over 100 buildings, including nearby houses. The hands and heads of 5 people were cut by broken glass. The second blast occurred in the compound shortly after 8 AM, but no one was injured. Mitsui Chemicals says the explosions occurred while the operation of all plants was halted after trouble at another plant on Saturday night. Fire fighters are continuing their activities at the plant.