Explosion at US base in Japan lights up night sky

TOKYO — An explosion at a US Army depot outside of Tokyo set off a large blaze that lit up the night sky early Monday morning, but there were no reports of injuries.

The blast happened after midnight at the Sagami Depot in Sagamihara, a city about 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of Tokyo, said Navy Commander Bill Urban, a Pentagon press officer.

Video on Japanese television, apparently shot from an elevated place outside the post around 12:45 a.m., shows a fire in the distance and subsequent explosions shooting small fiery blasts into the sky. A woman told national broadcaster NHK that it sounded like fireworks.

A statement issued by US Army Japan said there are no indications of injuries. The building was not a hazardous material storage facility, and the depot does not store ammunition or radiological materials, the statement said.

About 580 people work at the 200-hectare (500-acre) depot, NHK said.

Base firefighters were joined by Japanese emergency responders in fighting the fire to present its spread to nearby buildings, the Army said.

“The Army appreciates the quick reaction and support of our partners from the Sagamihara City emergency services,” said an updated statement from US Army Japan.

The cause of the explosion is under investigation, and the military is in the process of determining the contents of the building, it said.