In brief
Ten workers at a demolition site in Hakodate City, Hokkaido, were hospitalized after showing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. An engine‑powered high‑pressure washer was used on site, and local fire authorities are investigating the cause.
Ten workers were taken to hospital on Friday morning after developing headaches and nausea at a demolition site in Hakodate City, Hokkaido, northern Japan, according to the Hakodate Fire Department. The fire department received a report at about 9:05 a.m. local time that several people had fallen ill while carrying out interior work at the site.
The ten injured were a mix of men and women, ranging in age from their teens to their 60s. They complained of headaches and nausea, and a few were unable to move without assistance, though all remained conscious, the department said.
Investigators believe an engine‑powered high‑pressure washer was in use during the work and suspect it may have produced the carbon monoxide that caused the symptoms. The fire authorities are conducting an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
