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Deadly Blaze Devastates Oita’s Saganoseki, Leveling More Than 170 Buildings

Experts say narrow, slope-flanked streets helped the flames race uphill.

Overview

  • Firefighting continued into the morning of November 19 as authorities tallied roughly 48,900 square meters burned.
  • Officials confirmed one fatality as damage assessments progressed in the densely built neighborhood.
  • Residents spent the night in a nearby community center after hurried evacuations from the fast-moving flames.
  • An eyewitness described explosive sounds, strong gusts and embers lofting toward nearby hills during the escape.
  • Aerial images showed burn scars in adjacent woodland, while specialists linked the rapid spread to tight roads, dense housing and wind exposure.