Mobile Battery Catches Fire on Joetsu Shinkansen from Niigata to Tokyo, Injuring 50s Passenger’s Right Hand

On August 27, 2025, a mobile battery carried by a passenger on the Joetsu Shinkansen line, traveling from Niigata to Tokyo, caught fire inside the train. The incident occurred between Omiya and Ueno stations, prompting a brief halt of the train for safety checks. A man in his 50s, the owner of the battery, sustained a burn injury to his right hand while attempting to extinguish the smoke by covering the battery with clothing. There was no fire spread to other parts of the train or damage to the train cars, and no other passengers were injured. The battery had been fully charged the night before and stored in a carry-on case. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Ueno station is investigating the cause of the fire. Separately, on the same day, a mobile battery emitted smoke at an expo venue, but no injuries or property damage were reported. Additionally, a separate incident in Harvard, Illinois, involved a vehicle catching fire after being hit by a train, resulting in one injury.