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On Monday night, a barge caught fire during a fireworks display off the coast of Yokohama, Japan. The incident occurred near the end of the annual Minato Mirai Smart Festival, an event aimed at promoting local businesses and enhancing Yokohama’s international profile.
According to reports, the festival featured approximately 20,000 fireworks launched in just 25 minutes. At around 7:55 p.m., authorities received a call about smoke rising from the waterfront. One of the barges serving as a launch platform had caught fire. All five workers on board jumped into the sea and were rescued by the coast guard; one was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The fire also spread to a nearby vessel, though there were no crew members present at the time. The incident was caused when the machine launching fireworks malfunctioned.
Footage circulating online shows bright streams of sparks and large plumes of smoke as the fire spreads across the deck of the affected barge.
This incident is reminiscent of another blaze that occurred on a barge carrying fireworks to Marblehead, Massachusetts, in July 2024. The accidental fire led to the cancellation of the city’s Independence Day celebration later that day.
Event organizers stated that the cause of the accident would be thoroughly investigated and apologized for any inconvenience caused to festival-goers.
The Kanagawa prefecture police are continuing their investigation into the incident.
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*This photo taken on August 4 shows a burning fireworks vessel during the festival in Yokohama, Japan. ©AFP via Getty Images*
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