A fire ripped through a dormitory for construction workers early Saturday in Yotsukaido, Chiba Prefecture, killing at least 10 people, police said.
The search for one who remained missing continued Saturday as police tried to identify the victims, they said.
The 12:55 a.m. fire reduced the two-story facility to ashes before it was brought under control at 4:25 a.m., police said, adding that the fire probably started accidentally. The dormitory was designed to accommodate staff of the contractor Kikuchi-gumi.
Some workers who escaped the fire said 14 people were staying on the first floor and 28 people on the second floor on Friday night, most of whom were asleep when the fire broke out.
The dormitory, which was located in a residential area, had 40 rooms accommodating several workers each, with a dining room and other communal rooms on the first floor and living areas and an office located upstairs.
The fire at the residence knocked out power to about 2,000 nearby homes for about three hours.