Japan restaurant blast kills 1, injures more than a dozen: Reports

TOKYO - An explosion at a hotpot restaurant in Japan killed one person and injured more than a dozen, media reported on Thursday.

The Onyasai restaurant in Fukushima was undergoing repairs, according to its owner, casual dining group Colowide Co , which operates a chain of the restaurants.

The company issued a statement apologising to the victims and said it was working with authorities to determine the cause.

Media showed footage of the restaurant reduced to a shell, with windows shattered in nearby buildings and pieces of metal and glass scattered around the block.

Some Twitter users in the area said they heard a loud bang at the time of the explosion and could smell gas.

[embed]https://twitter.com/nhk_news/status/1288639894429081600[/embed]