More than 40 injured in explosion in Japan's Sapporo

Reuters - More than 40 people were injured in an explosion on Sunday (December 16) at a bar in Sapporo in northern Japan, Kyodo news agency reported. There was no immediate word on the cause of the blast, which the agency said had caused a number of buildings to collapse. Kyodo said one person was in critical condition. Video from the blast scene posted on social media showed fire fighters working to put out the fire. Police and fire-fighters worked to get the site under control, fighting flames and smoke, and warned people in the neighbourhood of the possibility of another explosion, the agency reported. Eyewitnesses reported smelling gas in the area following the explosion, which Kyodo said happened at 8.30 p.m (1130 GMT).