Japanese firefighter dies in chemical plant explosion

35 other EMS personnel are believed to have also been injured in the blast

October 01, 2012 05:25 AM

Times of Oman

HIMEJI CITY, Japan — An explosion at a large Japanese chemical plant has sparked fears of a global shortage of disposable diapers, a report Sunday.

A tank at chemical producer Nippon Shokubai s factory in Himeji city, Hyogo prefecture, exploded Saturday, killing a firefighter and injuring 35 other emergency service workers who responded to a callout, the fire service said.

The company has a 20-percent global share of superabsorbent polymer, which is used in the production of diapers, the Sankei Shimbun daily said.

If the operation of the factory is suspended for a long time, it could affect production of disposable diapers, the newspaper said.

The company produces 320,000 tonnes of superabsorbent polymer at the Himeji plant annually, the Sankei said.

Nippon Shokubai had planned to boost its production to meet the growing demand for disposable diapers in China, the paper said.