An elderly man in Nagoya was killed Sunday when a 22-year-old fire extinguisher he was trying to dispose of exploded in his face, police said.
Akira Hirayama, 79, died at his house in Chikusa Ward shortly after the 9:20 a.m. explosion, which was apparently caused by corrosion on the base of the fire extinguisher.
Police said the powder-based extinguisher was about 15 cm in diameter and about 60 cm high and weighed about 11.8 kg.
The accident occurred as Hirayama was trying to remove powder remaining inside the unit, police said. The hose was clogged, and rising pressure inside the device probably led it to explode, they said.
According to the city's fire department, the inspection or exchanging of fire extinguishers for home use is not mandatory under current law. When disposing of them, people should contact experts and not attempt to empty the units on their own, fire officials said.