Fire at a busy building in Osaka, Japan leaves 27 in cardiac arrest... Arson suspected

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] A fire broke out in a building located in a busy district of Osaka city, Japan, leaving 27 people in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest. Japanese authorities are reportedly investigating with the possibility of arson in mind.

According to Japanese media such as NHK on the 17th, the fire occurred around 10:20 a.m. in an eight-story building located in a busy area of Kita-ku, Osaka city. The fire, which started on the 4th floor of the building, was extinguished within 30 minutes after about 70 fire trucks responded. However, 27 of the 28 people who could not evacuate the building fell into cardiopulmonary arrest. In Japan, cardiopulmonary arrest is presumed to mean death, but an official death declaration has not yet been made.

The fire took place in a busy district near JR Kitashinchi Station, the center of Osaka, where buildings and shops are concentrated. Fire expert Professor Ai Sekizawa of Tokyo Institute of Technology explained in an interview with NHK, "Since the Kabukicho building fire in Shinjuku, Tokyo, which resulted in 44 deaths, there has been no building fire with so many casualties in 20 years."

Japanese police have reportedly launched an investigation considering the possibility of arson. According to Asahi Shimbun citing a police official, "Osaka Prefectural Police are investigating on the suspicion that it may be an arson case." The 4th floor of the building, where the fire is presumed to have started, houses psychiatric and internal medicine clinics, raising the possibility of arson by a person with a mental illness.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.