Tokyo: A major fire has devastated more than 170 buildings in the Saganoseki district of Oita city, causing widespread destruction in one of Japan’s largest urban blazes in almost fifty years.
The incident has also led to the death of one individual, while another resident has been hospitalised with mild burns. Authorities have said that the fire has started on November 18 evening and has rapidly spread through the coastal district overlooking a well-known fishing harbour.
Strong winds have carried the flames across residential areas, nearby forested slopes, and even to an uninhabited island located more than one kilometre offshore. Aerial images have shown widespread damage, collapsed structures, and dense smoke drifting over the hilly region.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency has stated that the blaze has burned around 48,900 square metres, an area roughly equivalent to seven football pitches. The scale of the affected zone and the number of structures destroyed have made it the largest urban fire in Japan since a 1976 blaze in Sakata, excluding incidents linked to earthquakes.
The agency has confirmed that 175 residents from the district have been evacuated to an emergency shelter. Local media have reported that police sources have found one person dead at the scene. Kyushu Electric Power has reported power outages affecting around 300 houses due to the damage.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has expressed condolences and has said that the government will provide maximum support in coordination with local authorities.
Emergency teams, supported by military and firefighting helicopters, have been working to control the flames and prevent further spread as investigations continue into the cause of the fire.
Past comparisons have highlighted the severity of this disaster. In 2016, a blaze in Itoigawa destroyed 147 buildings across 40,000 square metres, though no fatalities were recorded. The magnitude of the destruction in Oita city has therefore drawn significant national attention as recovery efforts begin.
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