A major fire erupted Tuesday at a Japan space agency site during a combustion test of a solid-fuel Epsilon S rocket engine. The incident took place at the Tanegashima Space Center, located in the remote Kagoshima region of southern Japan.
No injuries were reported in the fire, which began around 8:30 a.m. local time. Media outlets, including national broadcaster NHK, captured footage of towering balls of fire and thick white fumes rising from the site.
According to NHK, media personnel were stationed approximately 600 meters away when the test commenced. About 30 seconds into the test, a large explosion was heard, and witnesses observed what appeared to be flaming debris flying toward the sea.
The Sankei Shimbun reported that orange flames burst from the rocket engine, which was placed on a horizontal platform, before the explosion occurred.
Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire and assessing the extent of any damage to the facility. No official statement has been released by the space agency regarding the incident.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
