Attacker screamed ‘You die!’ and set fire to Japanese animation studio, leaving 33 dead
- A suspect poured a petrol-like substance around the Kyoto Animation studio, known for mega-hit stories featuring high school girls.
- Footage of the blaze showed thick white smoke pouring from the windows of the building
A man screaming “You die!” burst into an animation production studio in Kyoto, Japan, and set it on fire early Thursday, authorities said, leaving 33 people confirmed or presumed dead.
The blaze injured another 36 people, some of them critically, Japanese authorities said. Most were workers at Kyoto Animation, known for mega-hit stories featuring high school girls.
The fire started in the three-story building in Japan’s ancient capital after the suspect sprayed an unidentified liquid accelerant, Kyoto prefectural police and fire department officials said.
The suspect was injured and taken to a hospital, officials said. Police are investigating the man on suspicion of arson.
Survivors who saw the attacker said he was not their colleague and that he was screaming “(You) die!” when he dumped the liquid and started the fire, according to Japanese media reports. They said some of the survivors got splashed with the liquid.