12 Presumed Dead, Dozens Injured in Suspected Arson at Japan Animation Studio
At least 12 people are presumed dead and more than 30 injured in a suspected arson attack at a famous production studio in Kyoto, Japan, authorities say. The suspect has been arrested by police while receiving treatment for his injuries at a hospital, and has reportedly admitted to the crime.
A man reportedly burst into the building and spread an unidentified liquid before setting off the blaze around 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning at a three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co., a company known for producing popular Japanese TV animation series.
The Japan Times reports that about 10 people were found lying unconscious on the second floor and presumed dead, according to the police. Kyoto Fire Department official Satoshi Fujiwara told the AP that one person was confirmed dead due to severe burns, and 10 of those injured were in serious condition. Fire department officials say more than 70 people were in the building at the time of the fire, but most of them ran outside.
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At least 22 people presumed dead, 40 injured in suspected arson at Kyoto anime studio
KYOTO - A suspected arson attack on an animation production company in Kyoto left at least 22 people dead or presumed dead and dozens more injured on Thursday.
Police said some people witnessed a 41-year-old man screaming “Die” as he set the fire at a studio of Kyoto Animation Co.
Police also found knives at the scene. The suspect, who was also injured, was taken to a local hospital.
About 70 people were believed to have been working when the fire broke out at around 10:35 a.m. Many bodies were found on the second floor of the structure.
There was no immediate information on a possible motive.
The toll continued to climb hours after the fire began, with fire department officials saying more bodies were being discovered as they searched the ravaged building.
People near the studio said they heard a series of explosions and saw black smoke billowing out of the building. People were later seen being carried out of the studio covered in blankets.
“A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints,” said a 59-year-old woman who lives nearby.
“I heard a bang. The black smoke rose and the burning smell was awful,” said a hair salon manager in his 30s.
Footage of the blaze showed thick white smoke pouring from the windows of the three-story building. Its facade was charred black on much of one side where the flames had shot out of the windows.
Police said they were still investigating the cause of the fire but believe it was the result of arson.
“A man threw a liquid and set fire to it,” a Kyoto Prefectural Police spokesman said.
The company, also known as KyoAni, has produced “K-On!” and “Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu” (“The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”), which depict the daily lives of high school girls, “A Silent Voice,” “Clannad” and “Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon” (“Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid”).
The blaze prompted an outpouring of support from those in Japan’s anime industry, one of the country’s best known cultural exports.
Twitter erupted in a flood of posts from around the world as anime fans sent messages of condolences for the victims and their families and prayers in Japanese and English. Many used the hashtag #PrayForKyoani.
“No, I don’t know what I should be thinking now,” tweeted Yutaka Yamamoto, an animation director who once worked at Kyoto Animation. “Why, why, why?”
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also posted a message on Twitter: “So many people were killed or injured. It’s so appalling I can’t find a word to say.”
“I pray for … their souls.”
People convicted of deliberately setting fires in the country, where many people live in wooden houses, can face the death penalty.
A man convicted of setting a fire that killed 16 people in Osaka in 2008 is currently on death row.
Kyoto Animation has studios in Kyoto and nearby Uji, where it is headquartered. The fire occurred at its first studio, according to the company.
Founded in 1981, the firm has released a number of animations appealing to younger generations, particularly in the 2000s. Many fans have visited locations associated with the productions.
There was no immediate statement from the studio.
“We are in the process of learning what happened,” said a woman who answered the phone at the firm’s headquarters in the city of Uji.
“We cannot tell you anything more,” she added.
In Tokyo’s Akihabara district, where dozens of anime shops are located, some fans said they are worried about the future of the company.
“I really like KyoAni so I feel anxious,” said Kento Omura, 22, who is from Yamaguchi Prefecture.
“Their anime works are really beautifully and their stories are moving too,” he said.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/20.../#.XTBFdcopChA
