Restaurant explosion injures at least 42 in Japan

Dec. 16 (UPI) -- An explosion rocked a restaurant on Japan's main Hokkaido island on Sunday night, injuring at least 42 people, metro fire department officials said.

The explosion occurred at 8:30 p.m. at Izakaya Cherry Blossom in the Hiragishi district of Sapporo's Toyohira Ward, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.

One victim was in critical condition, according to a report by Japan Times.

Residential and dining establishments were affected.

"The explosion broke the windowpane of the shop where I worked," a clerk at a nearby restaurant told NHK.

"I heard a 'bang,' which sounded like thunder, and my condo was shaken," said a man in his 50s who lived nearby told Japan Times.

Fire and smoke were rising from the heavily damaged structure and the area was littered with broken gas.

Police officers kept people from approaching the damaged building because of the fear of more explosions.

The cause of the explosion was not yet known.