Society

Fire rips through old Kitakyushu shopping arcade

Kitakyushu, Jan 03 (News On Japan) - A fire which broken out in one of Kitakyushu's oldest shopping districts on Wednesday has ravaged the historic Uomachi Gintengai shopping arcade.

The blaze was reported from around 3:10 PM and appears to have started at a store in the Torimachi food court near JR Kokura Station, spreading to multiple buildings.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control 4 and a half hours later, with no reports of injuries.

Uomachi Gintengai is Japan's first covered shopping arcade, established in 1951.

Tanga Market, located nearby, experienced two major fires the year before last.

by Brian Dentry

Source: ANNnewsCH

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