Society

Aug 18, 2025 20:57 (JST)

Osaka, Aug. 18 (Jiji Press)–A fire broke out in a multi-tenant building in the busy Minami entertainment district in the western Japan city of Osaka on Monday morning, leaving two firefighters dead.

Four other firefighters in their 20s to 30s and a woman in her 20s were taken to hospital but are not in a life-threatening condition, according to the Osaka prefectural police department and the city’s fire department.

The fire destroyed a total of about 100 square meters of seven-story and five-story buildings near Ebisu Bridge over the Dotonbori River. The area is bustling with young people and tourists.

The fire was all but extinguished in three hours after 65 fire trucks mobilized, and was deemed fully out in about nine hours.

The deceased were identified as Takashi Mori, 55, and Mitsunari Nagatomo, 22. Both were found on the sixth floor of the seven-story building and confirmed dead at the hospital.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]

Jiji Press

AloJapan.com