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Ten dead after suspected arson attack in Japan

18 July 2019 10:05 (UTC +04:00)

At least 10 people have died in a suspected arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto, Japan, local emergency officials have said, APA reports citing BBC.

Local media quoted police as saying a man broke into the Kyoto Animation Co studio on Thursday and threw an unidentified liquid, starting a fire.

Dozens of people are also reported injured.

The suspect, who has not been named, has been detained and was taken to hospital with injuries.

"A man threw a liquid and set fire to it," a Kyoto prefectural police spokesman told news agency AFP. No other details of the suspect or possible motives were given.

The fire broke out at the three-storey building at around 10:30am (01:35 GMT) on Thursday.

People near the site said they heard a series of explosions and later saw people carried out in blankets.

"A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints," a 59-year-old woman living nearby told news agency Kyodo.

Another witness said he saw "red flames flaring".

Kyoto Animation, known as KyoAni, produces popular animation shows including "K-On" and "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya".

On social media, many fans have been expressing their shock and posting pictures of their favourite KyoAni shows.