Massive fire wreaks havoc in Japanese city, burning more than 170 buildings to ashes

News Topical, Digital Desk : A Japanese city has been engulfed in a massive fire. More than 170 buildings have been destroyed. The blaze is so fierce that it has become difficult to control. Even after an all-night effort, the fire has not been completely extinguished.

The fire broke out in the Saganoseki district of Oita City, located just 770 kilometers from Japan's capital, Tokyo. Around 175 people have taken refuge in emergency shelters to escape the blaze.

1 person missing

The fire broke out around 5:40 pm (8:40 pm IST) on Tuesday evening. The fire department stated that no injuries were reported. However, one person is missing and a search is underway.

The fire remained unextinguished even after several hours

Numerous photos and videos of the fire in the Japanese city are surfacing on social media, showing towering flames and thick plumes of black smoke. According to local media, the fire was so fierce that it spread beyond residential areas into mountain forests, making it difficult for firefighters to extinguish the blaze.

PM sent military helicopter

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Tsui shared a post about the fire on the social media platform X, saying that military firefighting helicopters had been dispatched at the request of the governor of Oita Prefecture. Efforts were underway to control the fire.

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