Fire occurred at Nippon Paper Industries' Yatsushiro Mill during demolition of a chimney damaged by an earthquake.

A fire that broke out at the Nippon Paper Industries Yatsushiro Mill (Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture) on the 3rd was extinguished early on the 4th after part of the chimney was destroyed by fire. At the time, work was being carried out at the factory to cut the steel framework to dismantle the chimney that had collapsed in the Kumamoto earthquake. Prefectural police Yatsushiro Police Station and fire department will conduct a live inspection on the 7th to determine the exact cause of the fire.

What burned was a chimney that was partially damaged in the earthquake. According to Yashiro Police Station, the fire broke out on the evening of the 3rd and was extinguished about 6 and a half hours later, around 12:30 a.m. on the 4th. None of the 10 workers were injured. The fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) chimney that was being dismantled and the stainless steel tower at its base were damaged by fire.

According to Nippon Paper Industries, this chimney is approximately 110 meters high, and the upper 30 meters were damaged in the earthquake. At the time, work was underway to cut the FRP chimney and the surrounding steel frame supporting it in order to dismantle and remove the remaining 80 meters by mid-September.

According to officials, plastic debris from the construction work was scattered around the chimney. It is also possible that the sparks generated during the cutting process could easily spread the flames.

Three of the five chimneys at the factory were damaged in the July 28 earthquake. A total of nine people, including employees of Nippon Paper Industries and partner companies, died, and operations are currently suspended.

The fire caused smoke and strange smells to fill the area. A spokesperson for Nippon Paper Industries commented, ``We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to nearby residents.We will fully cooperate with the authorities' investigation into the cause.''

Yatsushiro Mayor Taisuke Ono said in an interview, ``I hope that the removal work will be carried out in a way that does not pose risks, and that the factory will be restored.''