Two workers killed in blast after re-entering quake-hit Japan mall on boss' order

Two workers were killed in an explosion at a shopping mall in Japan following a powerful earthquake that struck the country last week. The explosion occurred at Aeon Mall in Kumamoto prefecture on July 28th, resulting in the deaths of 38 people, including seven from the store. The incident took place after the company asked employees to re-enter the mall to secure cash, an order that has since been deemed inappropriate.

Habita, the store's parent company, expressed deep regret for the loss of life and the inappropriate instructions given. One of the victims, 22-year-old Kurumi Otake, was named by her family. She reportedly told a relative she needed to return to the mall to move money from the cash register into a safe as instructed by her employer.

Otake's family was informed of her death and received an apology from Habita representatives at her wake. The company is now considering how to proceed with the matter. Otake's family described her as someone with a strong sense of justice who had supported her mother after her father's death three years ago. Had Otake not returned to the mall when she did, she would still be with her family, according to her relative.

Most people had evacuated the mall shortly after the earthquake, but some employees remained inside for about an hour after the initial quake, when the explosion occurred. The employer of the deceased workers, Habita, was founded in 1976 and operates more than ten stores across several prefectures in Japan.