Death Toll Rising in Suspected Arson Attack at a Psychiatric Clinic in Japan

At least 19 people are confirmed dead after a fire engulfed a psychiatric clinic in the southern Japanese city Osaka, local Japanese media reported. Police are investigating the fire as a suspected arson attack.

The death toll is expected to rise as flames burning through the clinic left 27 people in cardiopulmonary arrest with no vital signs. Doctors are still trying to revive the other patients. An additional person was reported injured. The local fire department first received reports around 10:20 a.m. and extinguished the flames about 25 minutes later. 

The fire broke out on the fourth floor of an eight-story building located in the port city’s busy nightlife district. Billows of smoke were seen pouring out of the building’s windows on local news channels. Later videos showed shattered glass and scorched walls.  

Reports that the fire was a potential arson attack brought to mind the devastating 2019 arson attack on an animation studio in Kyoto Prefecture, which killed 36 people. 

“This fire in a crowded building in Osaka reminds me of that Kyoto Animation one, it’s hard to watch,” one Twitter user said.

“This Osaka fire is on the same level as the Kyoto Animation one, I hope they survive…,” another user tweeted. Some also recalled when, on Halloween night, a 24-year-old man dressed up as the Joker and injured 17 people in a knife and arson attack on a Tokyo subway.  

About Friday’s fire, one eyewitness at the scene said: “The fire was going up so fast and glass was scattered on the ground. From the floor where the fire was burning, a woman leaned out to call for help and was rescued by the fire department," NHK reported. 

The last devastating fire Osaka saw was in 2008, when a video store burned down, killing 16 people. 

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