Blast at Chuo Spring auto parts plant in Japan kills one

An explosion at Chuo Spring's plant in Aichi Prefecture in central Japan killed one person and injured two, a fire department official said on Thursday.

The official said the blast involved a dust collector inside the Fujioka plant, which supplies auto parts to Toyota Motor <7203.T>. A similar accident occurred at the same factory in 2023, which forced the automaker to partially suspend production at some domestic plants.

A Chuo Spring spokesperson said the company was aware of the accident but still confirming details, including whether the blast took place at the same building involved in the 2023 incident.

A Toyota spokesperson acknowledged news reports of the blast and said the company was trying to verify details of what happened.