An arson attack has left at least 13 people dead in Japan. The suspect, a 41-year-old male, walked into Kyoto Animation’s main studio, splashed petrol around, shouted “Drop dead” and then lit the fires.
There were more than 70 people in the building at the time.
The first emergency calls to the local fire department reported that there had been some sort of explosion on the ground floor. “Help us, the fire is climbing” is recorded on later calls.
The studio is in Uji, a residential area of the historic city near Kyoto. It is separate from the corporate head offices which are elsewhere in Uji.
Kyoto Animation was founded by Yoko Hatta in 1981 and is responsible for anime titles like Violet Evergarden, A Silent Voice, K-On, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Beyond the Boundary, Full Metal Panic, Lucky Star, Clannad and many more.
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Our deepest sympathies to everyone caught up in this horrible attack.
