Fire Damages 170 Buildings in Oita, Western Japan

A large-scale fire broke out in Oita City on Tuesday evening. According to the Oita prefectural government, over 170 buildings, including residences, have been affected so far. Over 50 fire trucks and disaster response helicopters from Oita and Kumamoto prefectures have been dispatched to fight the blaze. However, as of 11 a.m. Wednesday — more than 17 hours after the fire started — there was still no prospect of extinguishing it.