Fire in Japan damages 170 homes, forces evacuations

Firefighters and army helicopters battled a fire Wednesday that burned through a neighbourhood in southwestern Japan, killing one person, injuring another and forcing more than 170 people to evacuate.

A man in his 70s was unaccounted for and firefighters later found a body, possibly of the missing man, and a woman in her 50s suffered a minor injury, the Oita prefectural disaster response team said.

Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilised to battle the fire, which was not fully under control nearly 20 hours after it started. The Ground Self-Defence Force dispatched two UH1 army helicopters to assist.

At least 170 homes have been damaged or burned down, the disaster response team said. The residential section struck by the fire is close to the coastal area of Oita known for mackerel fishing but not near the prefecture's popular hot spring resorts, called onsen, and historic, thatched-roof homes.

The fire started during strong winds on Tuesday evening near a fishing port in the city of Oita on the southern main island of Kyushu. The blaze spread to a forest, affecting about 12 acres, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

The authorities are still investigating the fire's cause and how it spread, the FDMA said.

Japanese television footage showed smoke rising from swaths of land filled with destroyed and damaged houses, though orange flames were no longer visible by midday. The Oita prefecture said about 260 homes remained without electricity Wednesday afternoon.

A resident told Kyodo News Agency she quickly fled without many of her belongings because the fire “spread in the blink of an eye”.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted a statement on X offering sympathy for those affected by the fire and pledged to “provide maximum support”.