Chiba oil recycling factory explosion kills two

An explosion at an oil recycling factory in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, late Friday afternoon killed two people and injured 16, according to Japanese media.

"We heard a loud blast, then the house shook. At first we thought there had been an earthquake," said an elderly lady who lived near the site.

"We offer all our apologies," said a statement by Everclean, which manages the oil recycling site.

The explosion, which occurred just after 4 p.m., was felt for kilometers around the site and was followed by a fire, according to witnesses and images shown on Japanese television.

The exact cause of the explosion was unknown. The two workers who died were aged 50 and 52.

© (c) 2013 AFP