A fire broke out in Chiyoda ku, Tokyo during the demolition

At around 14:00 local time on March 27th, a fire broke out in the Iidabashi area of Chiyoda ku, Tokyo, Japan. The building on fire was the former headquarters of Akita Bookstore, which is currently undergoing demolition work. After the incident, the Tokyo Fire Department responded quickly and dispatched 47 fire trucks to the scene to carry out firefighting operations. ​

According to eyewitnesses on site, the fire spread from the second floor of the construction building, causing at least 2 workers to be injured and unconscious. Firefighters promptly rescued the injured workers and urgently sent them to the hospital for treatment. Due to the dense density of buildings at the scene of the incident and its proximity to JR Shuidobashi Station, the police and fire department quickly deployed a large number of manpower to extinguish the fire while carefully confirming whether there were still people trapped. ​

Akita Bookstore has previously relocated all staff to a temporary office in Bunkyo ku, Tokyo, and the new building is expected to be completed in September 2027. To reduce the impact of construction on surrounding residents, the bookstore printed classic images of its manga "Blade Teeth" on the construction site fence, humorously informing about the reconstruction of the building and attracting many fans to check in. ​

At present, the police have intervened in the investigation and conducted a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire and the specific situation of the disaster. We will continue to monitor the follow-up news. ​