(Tokyo) A major urban fire, the worst in nearly half a century, has struck a coastal city in southern Japan, damaging more than 170 buildings and killing one person. The fire, which burned all night, is still not fully extinguished.
The Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Wednesday (November 19) that the fire broke out in the Saga-seki area of Oita City, Kyushu, at around 5:40 p.m. the previous day (around 4:40 p.m. Singapore time).
Fueled by strong winds, the fire spread rapidly, engulfing a densely populated northeastern residential area of the Saga-seki fishing port. The burned area is approximately 5 hectares, almost equivalent to seven football fields, and exceeds the building area of the Tokyo Dome. 175 residents from 115 households were evacuated to a nearby community center.
Police reported one death and one person hospitalized with minor burns. Kyushu Electric Power Company said the fire caused power outages for approximately 300 households.
The city of Oita, nestled between mountains and the sea, is still engulfed in flames after burning all night. The fire has spread to nearby forested slopes and an uninhabited island about one kilometer from the coast. Firefighters are still battling the blaze, and the military is also involved in the rescue efforts. Aerial footage taken Wednesday morning shows houses reduced to ruins, with thick smoke billowing into the air.
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In terms of the number of damaged buildings and the area burned, this is the largest urban fire in Japan since the Sakata fire in 1976. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters believe it may have been ignited by strong winds and sparks.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted a message on social media platform X, offering her condolences to the affected residents. She said, "The government will work with local authorities to provide the maximum possible support."
