13 dead, 40 injured, arsonist targets anime studio - Bangkok Post

Firefighters battle the blaze started by an arsonist at a three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co in Kyoto, western Japan, on Thursday morning (Photo: Kyodo)

KYOTO, Japan: A man started a fire at a Kyoto animation studio after spraying a flammable liquid on Thursday morning, leaving at least 13 dead and nearly 40 injured, several of them unconscious, local police and rescuers said.

Many bodies were found on the second floor of the three-story studio of Kyoto Animation Co, where about 70 people were believed to have been working when the fire started around 10.35am

The police said some people witnessed the man screaming "Die" as he set fire. They also found knives at the scene.

The 41-year-old suspected arsonist was among the injured and had been taken to a hospital, the police said.

The fire gutted the three-story building.

People near the site said they heard a series of explosions and saw a mass of black smoke coming out of the building. People were later seen being carried out of the site covered in blankets.

"A person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints," said a 59-year-old woman living nearby.

"I heard a bang and the black smoke and the burning smell were awful," said a hair salon manager in his 30s.

Kyoto Animation, known for short as "KyoAni" in Japan, has animation studios in Kyoto and nearby Uji, where it is headquartered. Thec ompany is known for producing popular TV animation series "K-On!" and "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" (Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu).

The company, founded in 1981, has released a number of animations appealing to younger generations, particularly in the 2000s. Many fans have visited locations associated with the works.

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