Two Firefighters Die Battling Fire at Building in Osaka’s Minami District (Update 2)

The Yomiuri Shimbun
A building along the Dotonbori River where the fire occurred is seen in Chuo Ward, Osaka, at 10:48 a.m. on Monday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:32 JST, August 18, 2025 (updated at 16:05 JST)

OSAKA — Two male firefighters died in the line of duty while battling a fire at a building in Soemon-cho, Chuo Ward, Osaka, on Monday.

According to the Osaka prefectural police, the firefighters, 55 and 22, were carried to the hospital and confirmed dead. A woman and three other firefighters were transported to the hospital, but do not have life-threatening injuries.

The fire spread to an adjacent building.

The Osaka Municipal Fire Department received an emergency call reporting a fire on the first floor of a building at around 9:50 a.m. on the day.

The incident occurred along the Dotonbori River in Osaka’s Minami district, a bustling commercial area.