Over 170 Buildings Destroyed in Devastating Fire in Oita, Japan

In the coastal city of Oita, Japan, in the Saganoseki district, over 170 buildings have been destroyed in a massive fire. The blaze broke out on Tuesday (18 November) at 5:40 pm local time (0840 GMT) and continued to rage throughout the night. As of Wednesday, authorities from Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency have reported that the fire has still not been fully brought under control.

As the situation rapidly worsened, nearly 175 residents of Saganoseki district evacuated their homes to safer locations. One person is still missing, and authorities have launched an investigation to determine the origin of the fire.

Footage from local television taken from the air shows large areas of destroyed homes, with thick black smoke darkening the sky. The mountainous port city, known for its fishing and the Saki-brand mackerel, shows widespread signs of devastation.

Local media reported that the flames spread to nearby forests, adding further complexity to containment efforts.

In response to the emergency, at the request of the governor of Oita Prefecture, the Japanese Prime Minister Sanaye Takaichi confirmed that a military firefighting helicopter was deployed to the scene.

Fire services, local authorities, and the military are working jointly to bring the fire under control.

Khaborwala/TSN