An explosion at a Honda Motor Co. plant in Suzuka, Mie Prefecture, seriously injured two men on Sunday, police said.
The blast occurred at around 9:15 a.m. near an electrical power distribution board at the automaker's Suzuka factory, the police said. The two men, who were nearby, sustained serious burns and were taken to the hospital, they said.
The two were identified as Tetsuya Nohara, 21, and Ryuji Kumagai, 27, who suffered burns to the upper body and to the face, respectively.
The police said the pair were operating the distribution board to see whether there was a flow of current. A colleague heard the explosion and found the two collapsed on the floor before a security guard called for an ambulance.
The Suzuka factory, established in 1960 as Honda's third domestic factory, has manufactured models including the Fit subcompact car, according to the company's website. It also provides technical support and supplies components to Honda factories in 28 foreign countries.