Investigation launched into cause of massive blaze in Japan's Niigata prefecture

Police and firefighters launched an investigation on Friday into the cause of a massive blaze that broke out on Thursday morning and destroyed around 150 buildings and injured 11 people in Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast of Japan's Honshu Island.

According to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, the fire, which broke out in a local noodle restaurant in Itoigawa City in Niigata Prefecture on Thursday morning, engulfed around 150 buildings including other shops and houses as it rapidly spread due to strong winds.

Quoting city officials, NHK said the blaze burned 40,000 square meters of the city and forced an evacuation advisory which is still in place for 744 people in 363 properties.

The fire burned for around 30 hours, until firefighters were able to bring it under control, the officials said.

Officials investigating the inferno also said on Friday that following an inspection in the noodle restaurant in the morning, it was likely the fire started in the restaurant's kitchen while the owner was out.

NHK quoted the restaurant owner as saying that he returned from a short break to find his restaurant on fire.

Local residents said within the first two hours after the fire starting, the blaze was contained to a relatively small area, but the flames started to spread rapidly as strong gusts began to carry sparks further afield leading to other buildings catching fire, until a densely built up area, known for its narrow streets lined with wooden houses, also caught ablaze.

Firefighters said a lack of water, despite the city's seafront location, unpredictable winds and the many narrow streets, made tackling the blaze particularly difficult.

Meanwhile, the municipal government admitted that its firefighting capabilities fell well short of being able to contend with a fire of such magnitude.

Of the 11 injured, nine were firefighters, according to the latest figures from local media, while the two others injured were local residents of the city.

Niigata Governor Ryuichi Yoneyama having inspected the burned area said on behalf of the prefecture that everything possible would be done to help the lives of those affected.

source: Xinhua