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Fire Breaks Out at Japanese Animation Studio, with 10 Presumed Dead

Authorities are suspecting a possible arson attack at a three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co.
Gavin Butler
Melbourne, AU
An aerial view shows firefighters battling fires at the site where a man started a fire after spraying a liquid at a three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co. in Kyoto
Image via Reuters

At least 10 people are presumed dead and 40 injured after a man sprayed liquid and started a fire at an animation studio in Kyoto, Japan this morning.

The fire broke out at about 10:30 AM at a three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co, with nearby witnesses claiming they heard a series of explosions and saw plumes of black smoke pouring from the building, The Japan Times reports. Local police and rescuers said they found about 10 people lying unconscious on the second floor, presumed dead, and nearly 40 others were reported injured—among them, the 41-year-old man who is believed to have set the fire. He has since been taken to a hospital.

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Fire department officials said more than 70 people were in the building at the time of the fire, although most of them ran outside, according to the ABC. Others were later seen being carried off the site covered in blankets, while rescue officials set up a tent to provide first aid.

“A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints,” said a 59-year-old woman living nearby. Another witness said “I heard a bang and the black smoke and the burning smell were awful.”

Kyoto Animation Co., otherwise known as KyoAni, is famous for producing a number of popular TV animation series which typically appeal to younger generations. These include K-On!, Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), A Silent Voice, and Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon (Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid). The company has animation studios in Kyoto and nearby Uji, where it is headquartered.

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