7 Die in Japan Fireworks Factory Blast

TOKYO (AP) -- An explosion ripped through a fireworks factory Friday in southern Japan, killing seven people and injuring four others, officials said.

The afternoon explosion at the Nangoku Fireworks Co. in Kagoshima, about 620 miles southwest of Tokyo, sparked a fire that destroyed three buildings at the factory and shattered windows at a nearby school, said Shimako Hioki, a state spokeswoman.

Three of the injured suffered serious burns. The fourth injured victim was walking by the factory when it exploded and suffered only minor injuries.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.