A massive fire tore through a residential area in Oita City late Tuesday night, forcing the evacuation of 175 people and leaving one individual unaccounted for, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday (Nov 19).
Firefighters continued battling the blaze into Wednesday morning as it spread into a nearby forested mountain. Public broadcaster NHK reported that strong winds intensified the flames, making containment difficult.
Footage from the scene showed firefighters desperately hosing down raging fires as residents were evacuated to temporary shelters.
“The flames rose high, turning the sky red. The wind was strong. I never thought it would spread so much,” said one evacuee from the southern island of Kyushu.
“The mountain behind was burning,” another resident shared. “I only managed to grab my driver’s licence and smartphone.”
According to the Oita regional government, the fire broke out late Tuesday, triggering the evacuation of 115 households — totaling 175 individuals. Preliminary assessments revealed that at least 170 buildings were damaged or destroyed.
Authorities said that one person remains missing, while approximately 300 homes are experiencing power outages as a result of the fire.
In response to the scale of the disaster, the governor of Oita prefecture has contacted the military to request potential assistance.
Emergency crews are continuing efforts to control the blaze and search for the missing individual.
