HOKKAIDO (TR) – Hokkaido Prefectural Police are investigating what is believed to be an arson case after four people were injured in a fire that erupted inside a specialty hostess club in Sapporo City on Tuesday.
At 3:18 p.m., an explosion came from a six-floor building inside the Susukino red-light district. The subsequent fire tore through the second and third floors.
Fire fighters later extinguished the blaze.
The origin of the fire was a so-called “girl’s bar” located on the second floor. Such a business is licensed as an eating and drinking establishment (inshokuten) but provides services close to those of a hostess club.
One witness told TBS News (Nov. 27), “When one girl came out of the store with her feet on fire, about three men were helping to put out the fire with a large curtain-like cloth.”
The woman, aged in her 20s, and three men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s were taken to the hospital with burns all over their bodies. One of the men in his 40s was unconscious when he was taken to the hospital.
According to sources, the man in his 40s brought a gasoline-like liquid into the store, scattered it around the store, and set it on fire using something that looked like a lighter.
Police plan to wait until the man in his 40s recovers before questioning him.
