Dozens of fire engines and more than 200 firefighters were mobilised to battle the fire, which was not fully under control nearly 20 hours after it started. The Ground Self-Defense Force dispatched two UH1 army helicopters to assist.
The blaze started on Tuesday evening and has burned 48,900 square metres – roughly the size of seven soccer fields – forcing 175 residents in the district, some 770km southwest of Tokyo, to flee to an emergency shelter, Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
The cause of the fire was under investigation, the agency added.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/japan-fire-residents-evacuated-oita-city-5476181
