North Asia

At Least 24 Dead in Suspected Osaka Clinic Arson – NYT

December 17, 2021

Police said the blaze may have been set by a man seen carrying a leaking paper bag

Firefighters are seen in a building where a fire broke out in Osaka. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters

At least 24 people died after a fire on Friday in a psychiatric clinic in a busy office building in Osaka, the largest city in western Japan, The New York Times reported.

The blaze, which police said may have been set by a man in his 60s seen carrying a leaking paper bag, came six weeks after a Tokyo train rider attacked passengers with a knife and tried to set a fire on board.

Read the full report: The New York Times

George Russell

George Russell is a freelance writer and editor based in Hong Kong who has lived in Asia since 1996. His work has been published in the Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, New York Post, Variety, Forbes and the South China Morning Post.