TOKYO — A fire ripped through a neighborhood of old wooden houses in the Saganoseki district of Oita City in southwestern Japan, killing one person, injuring another and forcing more than 170 people to evacuate. At least 170 homes were damaged or destroyed, officials said.
A man in his 70s was initially reported missing; firefighters later found a body believed to be his. A woman in her 50s suffered a minor injury, the Oita prefecture disaster response team said.
Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilized to fight the blaze, which was not fully under control more than a day after it began. The Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched two UH-1 helicopters to assist. Oita’s mayor, Shinya Adachi, said it could take a few more days before the fire is completely extinguished.
The fire started Tuesday evening near a fishing port along the coastal area known for mackerel fishing. Strong winds were blowing when the blaze began and helped it spread quickly, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. The fire also spread into a nearby forest, affecting about 4.9 hectares (12 acres).
Firefighting was hampered by narrow backstreets that fire engines could not access and by abandoned homes in the rapidly aging neighborhood, officials and local media reported. Japanese TV showed smoke rising over swaths of destroyed and damaged houses; orange flames were largely gone by midday Wednesday. About 260 homes remained without electricity Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities are investigating the cause and the factors that allowed the fire to spread so rapidly. Residents described fleeing suddenly with few belongings as the fire “spread in the blink of an eye.” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted sympathy on X and pledged to “provide maximum support.”