A passenger on a Tohoku Shinkansen train arriving at Sendai Station at around noon made an emergency call on Monday, reporting that a child had been burned after touching a chemical-like substance in the train.
The local police said that a total of four people suffered from burn-like symptoms and two more were feeling sick, although none of them were in a life-threatening condition.
The Miyagi Prefectural Police is investigating the case.
According to East Japan Railway, or JR East, an emergency button was pressed inside the train at around 11:55 a.m., and staff who checked the train when it arrived at the station confirmed that something like smoke was rising from car No. 7 and passengers were asked to evacuate to the platform.
A 48-year-old man who was waiting for the train at the platform said a staff member shouted “Smoke from car No. 7!” and he saw smoke coming out of a black bag placed near a train door.
Rescue team members wearing protective gear were seen at the station crowded with tourists and shoppers on the last day of a three-day holiday.
A 52-year-old company worker from Tokyo said that it reminded him of “the subway sarin attacks,” referring to the Aum Shinrikyo cult’s nerve gas attacks that took place in Tokyo in 1995.
“It’s scary because you can take anything onto a shinkansen train,” he said.