TOKYO, Jan 4 (NNN-NHK) – A fire broke out near one of the most popular restaurant districts in Kitakyushu city, in Japan’s south-western prefecture of Fukuoka, with nearby residents urged to evacuate the area, local authorities were cited as saying, yesterday.
Local fire department received multiple calls at around 15:10 local time, saying that a building near the Torimachi Shokudo-gai caught fire, an area crowded with restaurants.
Kono Ichiro, who witnessed the fire, said, “At first, only two houses were on fire and I thought the fire would be extinguished, but it looks like the entire Torimachi Shokudo-gai is on fire.”
According to police, there are no reports of injuries so far, but they have asked nearby residents to evacuate.
As of 22:00hrs local time, yesterday, about six-and-a-half hours after the outbreak of the fire, firefighters are still working to extinguish the blaze.
Torimachi Shokudo-gai is said to be the first restaurant district, built in Kitakyushu city, after the war.– NNN-NHK
