Fire Breaks Out on Joetsu Shinkansen, Passenger Injured While Extinguishing Flames

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:36 JST, August 28, 2025

A mobile battery carried by a passenger caught fire on the Joetsu Shinkansen line bound for Tokyo from Niigata on Thursday morning.

According to the Ueno Police Station of the Metropolitan Police Department, the male passenger in his 50s sustained minor burns to his right hand while extinguishing the fire by smothering it with clothing.

A senior officer of the police station said that the passenger noticed smoke coming from his suitcase at his feet. Upon checking inside, he found the battery had ignited.

East Japan Railway Co. stated that the train temporarily stopped at Ueno Station for safety checks but resumed service 9 minutes later. This caused a 15-minute delay to the return service.

The police are investigating the details of the incident.