A fire broke out on two barges used to launch fireworks during a festival in Yokohama on Monday evening, slightly injuring one person.

According to the Third Regional Coast Guard Headquarters, the two barges — out of a total of eight — caught fire at around 7:50 p.m. on Monday during the Minato Mirai Smart Festival 2025.

Five crew members of the event on one of the barges jumped into the water and were rescued. One of them was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The other barge had no crew members on board.

A fire breaks out from a launch barge (bottom) during a fireworks event in Yokohama on Monday evening.
A fire breaks out from a launch barge (bottom) during a fireworks event in Yokohama on Monday evening. | Jiji

According to the organizer’s official website, about 20,000 fireworks had been scheduled to be launched over a 25-minute period starting at 7:30 p.m. The event was canceled following the fire.

“We will thoroughly investigate the cause of the incident,” the festival’s organizer said in a statement. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused.”

Translated by The Japan Times