Kyoto Animation fire: One dead after suspected arson attack

An aerial view shows firefighters battling the fires at Kyoto Animation CoImage copyright
Reuters

Image caption

The fire broke out at the three-storey building mid-morning

At least one person has been killed and more than 30 injured in a suspected arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto, Japan.

Local media quoted police as saying a man broke into the Kyoto Animation Co studio on Thursday and threw an unidentified liquid, starting a fire.

The suspect, who has not been named, has been detained and was taken to hospital with injuries.

Fire service officials said 10 of those injured were in a serious condition

“A man threw a liquid and set fire to it,” a Kyoto prefectural police spokesman told news agency AFP. No other details of the suspect or possible motives were given.

The fire broke out at the three-storey building at around 10:30am (01:35 GMT) on Thursday.

People near the site said they heard a series of explosions and later saw people carried out in blankets.

“A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints,” a 59-year-old woman living nearby told news agency Kyodo.

Image copyright
Reuters

Image caption

The three-storey building is home to the Kyoto Animation Co

Kyoto Animation, known as KyoAni, produces popular animation shows including “K-On” and “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”.

On social media, many fans have been expressing their shock and posting pictures of their favourite KyoAni shows.

source: bbc.com