-+`On the afternoon of the 18th, a large-scale fire broke out in Saga-no-seki, Oita City, Kyushu, Japan. Fueled by strong winds, the fierce blaze spread to over 170 residential and commercial buildings, and as of 9 AM Malaysia time on the 19th, it had not been fully extinguished. The fire even spread to an uninhabited island about 1.4 kilometers away across the sea, burning an area of approximately 49,000 square meters. The Self-Defense Forces have dispatched two UH-1 helicopters to fight the fire from the air and collect information.
According to media reports including Oita TV, Kyodo News, Oita Broadcasting, and Tokyo Broadcasting, the major fire in Saga-no-seki, Oita City, occurred around 5:40 PM on the 18th. At that time, strong winds caused the fire to burn more than 170 buildings. After 16 hours, white smoke was still rising from the scene, and firefighters continued efforts to extinguish the flames. The Oita City government stated that the burnt area was estimated to be about 49,000 square meters, which exceeds the size of Tokyo Dome. In winter, the air is dry, increasing the likelihood of large-scale fires.
The prefectural government stated that 76-year-old Inagaki Kiyoshi and his family lost contact during the fire. In addition, a woman in her 50s was hospitalized with a suspected respiratory burn but suffered only minor injuries. As some of the burned residences were vacant and unoccupied, about 125 households affecting nearly 188 people sought refuge. One evacuee said that after returning from work, he saw blazing orange flames, shouted to his neighbors, and desperately ran to escape, unaware of the condition of his own home.
A man in his 50s watched the aftermath from outside the cordoned area. He said his home was near the site of the fire: "I came back to check the situation, but since I can't approach, I don't know what my house looks like now," he said, looking very worried.
The Oita City government set up evacuation centers in public halls. A woman in her 60s said that since she could not confirm the status of her own home, "I sat on a chair all night," looking extremely exhausted. She described the situation that night, "The wind was strong, sparks were flying over; it was scary." Another resident said, "Someone ran over shouting, ‘There's a fire!’ The whole sky was red and frightening. I thought the area ahead was burning. Upon a closer look, it was bright red everywhere inside as well."