24 confirmed dead after clinic fire in Japan’s Osaka; arson suspected

TIL Desk/World/Osaka/ At least 24 people have been confirmed dead from a fire that broke out at clinic in Japan’s Osaka prefecture, the police said, adding that they are investigating the incident as a suspected arson.

The fire broke out on Friday within a medical clinic, which provides psychosomatic and psychiatric treatments, on the fourth floor of a building in Osaka’s Kitashinchi district.

After receiving a report of fire at around 10.20 a.m. local time, the local fire department sent about 70 fire engines and ambulances to the scene.

The fire was extinguished by around 10.45 a.m. local time after burning across an area of approximately 25 square metres for about 30 minutes.

Previously, a total of 28 people were found injured from the fire, among whom 27 people including 17 men and 10 women were in cardiopulmonary arrest and showed no signs of life, according to firefighters. As of now, at least 24 deaths have been confirmed by doctors at a hospital.