Two workers died in an explosion at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan, after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck on 28 July 2026. The workers had been asked by their employer, general goods store Habita, to re-enter the mall to move money from the cash register into a safe.

One of the deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, who had supported her mother after her father passed away three years ago, according to Asahi Shimbun. Otake's family told local media she encountered a relative outside the mall after the earthquake and said she had to return inside on company orders. The identity of the other worker has not been disclosed.

Habita's sales director, Goji Yuse, expressed regret over the instructions, stating, "The instructions given at the time were inappropriate, and I truly regret them," as reported by NHK. He also mentioned that the company is considering how to proceed with the matter.

The two workers were among 38 people who died due to the earthquake, with seven fatalities occurring at Aeon Mall. While most people evacuated the mall shortly after the earthquake, some employees remained inside about an hour later when the explosion occurred.

Sources