A large fire tore through a densely populated coastal district of the city of Oita on Tuesday evening, destroying more than 170 homes and shops and leaving one resident missing, according to local authorities. Fire crews were still working to bring the blaze under control as of Wednesday morning.
The fire broke out at around 5:43 p.m. Tuesday in the city’s Saganoseki area, about 25 kilometers east of the city center. Strong winds — with maximum instantaneous speeds of 43 kilometers per hour recorded shortly after 7 p.m. — helped the flames spread rapidly through the tightly packed neighborhood.
Multiple fire engines from the city and surrounding municipalities were dispatched under mutual aid agreements. A woman in her 50s was taken to a hospital with suspected burns to her airways, while a man in his 70s remains missing. TBS reported that a body has been found at the burnt remains of the man’s residence, but it has not been confirmed if it is him. Police are working to confirm the identity of the individual.
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