Fire Rages Over 9 Hours at Plastics Factory Warehouse North of Tokyo

Firefighters were still battling a blaze at a plastics factory warehouse in Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, more than nine hours after it was first reported on Monday, according to local media. As of 2:30 p.m. local time, black smoke was continuing to pour from the building and flames remained visible.

The fire was reported shortly after 5 a.m. when an employee at the factory in Nakagawa Town called the fire department to report smoke coming from the warehouse, public broadcaster NHK said, citing police. Nine emergency vehicles, including fire engines, were dispatched to the scene.

The facility manufactures PET bottles and other plastic products. Although the factory runs around the clock, no employees were inside the warehouse when the fire broke out, and all workers were safely evacuated. No injuries have been reported.

Authorities have not yet said what caused the fire, and no damage estimate has been released. The fire's persistence more than nine hours after it began underscores the challenge crews faced in containing flames and smoke at the site.

The incident took place in Tochigi Prefecture, a region north of the capital. Further updates on the firefighting operation and any investigation are expected as crews continue to work at the warehouse.