Two men suffered burns to their faces and were rushed to hospital Thursday following an explosion at a pizza shop in Kobe, police said.
The men, aged 24 and 36 and employees at the Chicago Pizza Co. outlet, were draining a gas cylinder when the explosion occurred.
At around 12:40 p.m., firefighters received emergency calls reporting the sound of an explosion and smoke at the premises, about 400 meters southwest of JR Motomachi Station.
Local police are investigating the accident as possibly a case of professional negligence resulting in injury.