On the morning of the 17th local time, a fire broke out in an eight-story building in Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan, and 27 people were in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, Kyodo News and NHK reported, citing local fire authorities.
According to reports, 28 people were injured in the fire, of which 27 are in cardiopulmonary arrest.
The fire broke out in an eight-story commercial building in downtown Osaka City.
At around 10:20 a.m., a report that "the fourth floor of the building is on fire" was received by the local fire department, and a fire engine was dispatched to extinguish the fire, and the fire was almost extinguished around 10:46.
A hospital is located on the fourth floor of the building where the fire occurred, and a clothing store and an English language school are located on the other floors.
The fire burned about 20 square meters of the hospital.
Considering the scene of the fire, the local police believe that there is a suspicion of arson and are investigating.
Even though the fire was almost extinguished in about 30 minutes, when 27 people fell into a state of cardiopulmonary arrest, the local response was "very shocking".
"It's a very shocking fire," Ai Sekizawa, a professor at Tokyo University of Science and Technology, who is a fire expert, told NHK. "I can't say for sure because I don't know the details of the fire, but there is only one evacuation staircase in a small complex, so there is something on the evacuation stairs or an exit. If there is a fire nearby, there is no place to escape and you can think of the possibility of being enveloped in fire and smoke."
(Photo = Kyodo, Yonhap News)