New dashcam footage has emerged showing the moment a massive explosion tore through Aeon Mall Kumamoto about 50 minutes after Tuesday's 7.1-magnitude earthquake, with debris striking nearby power lines and sending sparks flying.
The footage, captured from a vehicle parked on the south side of the shopping centre, appears to show the explosion originating from the second floor. A woman in the car told NHK she had moved her vehicle to a safe spot when she heard the blast, initially thinking the quake had caused the wall to collapse.
Aeon Group CEO Akio Yoshida confirmed that three mall employees were among the dead. He apologised to the families of victims at a news conference in Kumamoto on Thursday. Regarding reports that some staff died after returning to retrieve car keys, Yoshida said this has not been confirmed but acknowledged that some employees were preparing to go home or fetch keys. He stressed that company policy prohibits staff from re-entering buildings after evacuation.
A 39-year-old man said his wife, who worked at a clothing store on the second floor, sent him a message after the quake asking "Are you okay?" but has not been heard from since. Rescue teams continue to search for the missing.
