Posted on 07/18/2019 6:43:22 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Most of the dead and the 36 injured were workers at Kyoto Animation, known for mega-hit stories featuring high school girls, with places featured in the stories even becoming pilgrimage sites for their fans.
The fire started in the three-story building in Japans ancient capital after the suspect sprayed an unidentified liquid accelerant, Kyoto prefectural police and fire department officials said. Japanese media reported the fire might have been set near the front door, forcing people to find other exits and possibly delaying their escape.
So far, 20 people were confirmed dead, including 12 on the first and second floors, and eight more on the third floor, Kyoto fire department official Mikihide Daikoku said. Nearly 10 others found on the top floor were presumed dead, he said. Some were found on the stairs, where they apparently collapsed while gasping for air and trying to go out to the roof.
Some of the injured people were in critical condition. Officials said firefighters were still searching inside the building in case anyone else was left behind. Kyoto police said the suspect was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment. They are investigating the man, who is 41 and not a company employee, on suspicion of arson, police said.
A witness who saw the suspect being approached by police told Japanese networks that the man admitted spreading gasoline and setting a fire with a lighter. She told NHK public television that the man had burns on his arms and legs and that he was angrily complaining that something of his had been stolen, possibly by the company. NHK footage also showed sharp knives police had collected from the scene, though it was not clear if they belonged to the suspect.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktla.com ...
I wonder if the fire department knew how many people were working in there. It looks like it may have exceeded capacity.
My daughters were fans of the Kyoto produced “Free! Iwatobi Swim Club” anime.
You would laugh if it were a story, however apocryphal, from any place else in the world, but...if it is in Japan, you can say “Yeah. I could see that...”
Unusual culture. I lived there for a few years, loved it.
But I like it here better...:)
I seem to remember that while homeported in Yokosuka 1960-62 ‘they’ were basically given one of the front gate entrances (3 if I recall) UNLESS the USN needed all 3 for almost ANY reason.
I believe the alternate was going to be that Yokosuka would be OFF LIMITS if free access on and off the base weren’t allowed.
Even the anti nukers didn’t want to rile up ALL the shopkeepers/ladies of the evening/ etc etc since just about the ONLY money was from NavBase Yokosuka.
I first went there in 1957 and we were told if we got in trouble outside the gate, better hope some SPs were around because we didn’t particularly want to be dealing with the Japanese Police...that included stiffing a bar, taxi or assault....
Also received a primer on how you may be in line to lose whatver part of your body you committed a crime with
Also had the warning about eating the local vegatables (they used human fertilizer and they figured our ‘delicate’ systems couldn’t handle it) We found that enough Japanese Whiskey was a good offset....
In mid 1980’s I was in USAF, and stationed at Yokota AB, west of Tokyo, for two years. One of my friends dropped his wallet on the sidewalk in Yokota after (or during) a bar crawl. He came back the next day looking for it.
It was still there, with someone guarding it. Nobody had even looked inside to see who it belonged to, or called police about it. The citizen guarding the wallet assumed my friends honesty that the wallet was his as he picked it up.
Another friend was out at a club early one morning, and wisely elected to walk back to the base. As he walked, he heard a commotion down a dark alley and looked to see what was happening. He saw nothing in the darkness, and walked on. A few blocks later he was jumped from another dark alley, beaten severely, and told to mind his own business in future.
Air Force police told him that the commotion in the first alley was likely a Yakuza operation, as was the beating he received. Japanese police later confirmed Yakuza involvement. If you don’t know, the Yakuza is Japanese organized crime. They have official unofficial immunity from prosecution, as long as they stay out of the publics attention.
That’s a shame, they’ve made some wonderful, entertaining stuff.
GUNS ARE BANNED!
It was a semiautomatic, high-capacity assault lighter.
Heh. “Outlaw fire”. Heh.
For certain definitions of “here”, I reckon.
I was there early to mid-80s.
I remember jokes by the SPs about the anti-nuke riots being very orderly and choreographed. All done in very Japanese neat as a pin manner. I never actually saw one they always seemed to happen when I wasn’t there. (The few times they happened!)
Still no comment about the perps motivations. Usually the police release this by now. Perp has large scale burns all over his body but it still alive.
i work for funimation sometimes..
Very tragic news. Those poor people.
That is without a doubt true. I use my place in this great country as “here”...:)
BUMP!
Funny how the enemedia hasn’t been talking about this incident.
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