Explosion kills factory worker

OBU, Aichi Prefecture--A worker died Wednesday after an explosion, likely caused by negligence, ripped through a factory of Toyota Industries Corp. here, police said.

Koshiro Takagi, 24, died at a hospital suffering from burns on his entire body.

The explosion occurred around 5:10 a.m. at the Obu Plant, which produces car air-conditioner compressor units for Toyota Motor Corp. and other companies.

The explosion warped the roof of the plant and destroyed about 50 windows.

The Tokai Police Station suspects the accident was a case of professional negligence resulting in death.

According to police, Takagi had been working since 9 p.m. Tuesday. His job was to check for defective products, specifically aluminum pistons, by immersing them in a chemical solution in a stainless-steel tank measuring 1 meter in length, 60 centimeters in depth and 40 cm in height.

For each inspection, a set of four piston parts, each 12 cm in length and 3 cm in diameter, are soaked in the solution, which was kept at a temperature of 530 degrees.

When Takagi put a chemical agent of what appears to have been sodium chloride into the tank, it emitted white smoke. Several seconds later, the explosion occurred, according to police.

The inspections had been conducted every hour since 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The plant resumed operations on Tuesday after the Golden Week holidays. Takagi's shift was to end at 5:50 a.m. Wednesday.(IHT/Asahi: May 7,2008)