A fire disaster in a psychiatric clinic in Osaka, Japan, with two dozen dead was believed to have been the act of a patient. The police suspected a 61-year-old who was registered as a patient at the clinic, reported Japanese media on Saturday, citing investigation circles. In the fire on the fourth floor of a high-rise building, 24 people - 10 women and 14 men - were killed the day before. A total of 27 victims were taken to the hospital, including the alleged arsonist. The Kyodo news agency reported that he is in serious shape. The police found his patient card for the clinic.
It was the worst fire in Japan since an arson attack in 2019 on a famous anime film studio in the ancient imperial city of Kyoto, killing 36.
On Saturday, police officers and firefighters inspected the accident site in an eight-story building on a busy street in Osaka.
The fire was reported to have broken out in the psychiatric treatment clinic on the fourth floor and raged over an area of around 20 square meters.
The police are investigating suspicions of attempted murder and arson.
According to eyewitnesses in the clinic, the suspect should have spilled a liquid from a bag and then set it on fire.