Blaze in Southwestern Japan Impacts Hundreds of Homes and Prompts Evacuations

Thick plumes of smoke were visible over Oita after a destructive fire on Wednesday.

In Oita City, located in southern Japan, a severe fire raged through a community comprised of antiquated wooden homes in a seaside town. The incident resulted in the tragic loss of one life, the injury of another individual, and the displacement of over 170 residents as of Wednesday.

Among the missing was a man in his seventies, who was later presumed dead after firefighters recovered a body that might belong to him. Additionally, a woman in her fifties sustained minor injuries, according to officials from the Oita Prefecture's disaster management team.

A massive emergency response was launched involving more than 200 firefighters and numerous fire trucks. Despite ongoing efforts, firefighters had not yet managed to gain full control over the blaze more than a day later. The Ground Self-Defense Force assisted with two army helicopters to combat the fire.

Shinya Adachi, the town mayor, expressed that it may require additional days to fully extinguish the blaze during his visit to the devastated community.

Reports confirm that over 170 homes were either heavily damaged or completely destroyed. The affected area lies near a fishing zone recognized for mackerel fishing, but it is a distance away from the famed hot spring resorts and traditional, historic houses of the prefecture.

The fire began amid strong winds on Tuesday night near the fishing docks in Oita's Saganoseki district, located on Kyushu island. The flames also swept through a nearby woodland, consuming approximately 4.9 hectares of land, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Wind advisories were in effect when the fire ignited.

Challenges in fighting the fire included narrow passageways that were inaccessible to fire trucks, as noted by a firefighter. The aging neighborhood also contained a number of vacant properties, contributing to the complexity of the situation.

The dense clustering of old wooden structures within narrow streets facilitated the fire's rapid expansion. An office worker, aged 59, recounted the ominous winds accentuating the fire's spread on Tuesday evening.

Investigations into the fire's origin and propagation are ongoing, as confirmed by the FDMA.

Televised images depicted vast areas filled with wreckage and remains of houses, though the absence of visible flames was noted by Wednesday afternoon. Residences numbering approximately 260 were left without electricity.

One local citizen recalled the fire's swift advancement, forcing her to evacuate hastily, leaving most of her possessions behind.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi conveyed her condolences to those affected and committed to offering extensive support through a statement released on social platform X.