UPDATE (02:00pm PHT) — Public broadcaster NHK is now reporting that there are about 10 people that have feared to have died in the fire at Kyoto Animation building in Kyoto, Japan. They have also reported that about 70 people are working inside the building before the fire.
Multiple people feared dead and at least 30 more are injured as a fire broke out this morning at Kyoto Animation’s studio in Western Japan.
There are conflicting reports on the number of casualties on the fire, but Japanese media reports say at least one person has been confirmed died. The authorities are now investigating.
Public broadcaster NHK News reports that neighbors reported the fire at the company’s first studio building, located in Uji in Kyoto Prefecture, at around 10:30am local time (09:30am PHT), and that they heard what sounded like an explosion before seeing smoke billow out of the building.
A 40-year old man is in police custody after witnesses saw him pouring what appeared to be a gasoline-like liquid around the building. The public broadcaster also reports that the suspect was saying “Go Die!” while igniting the liquid.
Mainichi Shimbun reports that he has confessed to the crime.
Kyoto Animation was founded in 1981 by Yoko Hatta and her husband Hideaki Hatta. The animation studio is known for producing several popular anime titles in recent years like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-On!, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club and Violet Evergarden among others.
