OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police have arrested a 41-year-old woman for allegedly starting a fire that engulfed several residential buildings in Sakai City on Monday, reports Nikkan Sports (May 25).
At around 7:40 a.m. on Monday, a witness reported seeing smoke rising from a residential building in the Midoricho are of Sakai Ward.
Fire personnel from twenty five fire trucks arriving at the scene worked for several hours to extinguish the blaze, which extended over six buildings, all two-story structures.
There were no injuries, police said.
According to police, Tomoko Akao, of no known occupation, lives inside one of the buildings. At the scene, she told an officer from the Sakai Police Station, “I used a lighter to start the fire.”
Police are now seeking Akao’s motive for the crime.
