The large fire caused by the explosion at a factory in Hokkaido, Japan has been extinguished.

On December 1st local time, an explosion occurred in a factory in Muroran City, Hokkaido, Japan, in the early morning, sparking a fire. According to the local fire department, residents near the Nippon Steel Corporation's Kitanihonzaitetsu factory in Muroran City reported in the early morning that "houses were shaking and there appeared to be a fire in the factory." Firefighters rushed to the scene and confirmed that a blast had occurred in the hot blast furnace in the factory, leading to a large-scale fire on the factory grounds. The fire has now been extinguished.