On Friday (19 June) at around 11am, an emergency call alerted authorities to a fire at an elementary school in Tokyo, Japan.
Clips circulating online show the building’s fourth floor engulfed in smoke in a dense urban area.
According to TBS News, emergency services evacuated all students from the premises.
Rescuers had to transport several injured students to the hospital.
In one clip circulating online, a group of children sit on a ledge on the outside of the building’s fourth storey to avoid the smoke.
One teacher appeared to be with them.
Source: @HXAsILKe4m9nhbK on X
Another clip showed firefighters scaling the side of the building near where the students sat.
They also aim a stream of water at the fire, working from the street below.
According to Yomiuri Shimbun, the Tokyo Fire Department said that an area of about 150 square metres in the vicinity of the music room on the fourth floor was ablaze. They dispatched over 60 vehicles to put out the fire.
Source: @takanyo on X
According to Kyodo News, around 340 students attend Takinogawa Third Elementary School in Kita Ward. Although most suffered minor injuries due to smoke inhalation, responders safely evacuated all the students from the building.
At least eight students and two teachers suffered injuries as a result of the fire. One of the teachers suffered a leg injury.
By noon, firefighters had extinguished most of the fire.
Also read: 6 people sent to hospital after fire breaks out in Sengkang flat, 120 evacuated
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Featured image adapted from @HXAsILKe4m9nhbK on X and @takanyo on X.