Fire in Akihabara

Today at about 14:45, a building which was currently in construction caught fire. About 20 square meters ended up in flames.
About 9 construction workers were taken to the hospital through breathing in the fumes but they are said to be fine. Cause of the fire is unknown at the moment.
News via Yomiuri photo by punynari.
Original text from punynari below.
Hi everyone. I wanted to share what happened to me today.
This afternoon, I went to Akihabara to pick up a Reinforce Zwei figure. After purchasing her from Mandarke, I was greated with so much black smoke that I had to hold my breath and close my eyes. That huge skyscrapper that they were working on right next to Mandarke caught on fire. The scene reminded me alot of the World Trade Center's though I don't know if the New Yorkers were taking pictures with their cell phones. ^_^;
In about 10 minutes, there were about 8-10 fire trucks and police cars with more coming. I saw some workers still in the building. There were also lots of Japanese new media choppers in the air.
I'm going to update my blog with pics but the internet is horrible so it might have to wait till tomorrow.
If you are interested in reading about life in Japan, seeing photos taken daily around Tokyo, like Japanese subculture (anime, manga, figures, Dollfies) then you may want to start delving into the Japan or Figure categories for a start or have a gander at all photo articles.
If you don't have much time now, maybe subscribe to the RSS Feed, Twitter Feed or join the other readers in the FaceBook Page.
Alternatively, you may want to read more about the site.
If you are a regular reader then this message will probably annoy you each time - hide it forever.
-Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)




















No more NEET, enineering student now...g
http://saiseki.blogsome.com/
Hope nobody gets hurt. Hope no figures got burnt ><
Student artist
http://www.requestview.wordpress.com
Sucks if a store of figure burned down
Simple Program Creator, 3D Designer (Without animation), Flammable Organic Gas Producer, Oxygen consumer
i'm agree with you....
better let people to get burnt than figures....
save figures first...people later...
Dance Trooper: DCX-001 O.D.E. (Order of the Dancing Empire)
http://dannychoo.com.my
I hope those people who trapped inside the build were safe.
Otaku
http://general-noodles.mybrute.com
Did you bring any marshmallow?
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
wah o_o hopefully no one was hurt in the fire!
Nekophilia
Hopefully no figures were harmed in this.
Blogger
http://quicoto.com
lol Everybody says "oh god no, please don't burn any figure" instead of be worried about a human :P
IT, Programmer, Otaku, ...
http://blog.jpopdb.org/
Wow, hope they are fine...
It looks like that building on the corner there, they've been working on that for ages. Now it's probably going to take even longer..
Mr. High Res
Its rather shocking that people would be taking pictures instead of being a little more tense in such a situation. I mean even if the bystanders weren't caught in the fire, taking pictures is just....
university film student | ecchikid | the Archivist
http://www.vimeo.com/longhim
? I don't really see an issue with it. There's nothing they can do to help, and it's not like they're in danger from where they are anyway. Besides which, people with cellphone cameras nowadays like to take pictures to show they were there, and the Japanese are worse (or better?) than most about it.
Your (un)usual student
If u're worried about figures,then i'll say"are the gunplas safe too?"
Your local Otaku Cashier.
That's one hell of a sight.
"The scene reminded me a lot of the World Trade Center's though I don't know if the New Yorkers were taking pictures with their cell phones. ^_^;"
Well, I don't think a loud crash sound or any kind of "boom" occurred, so it's a given that they would take pictures. However, if there was a loud crash or "boom", I think most would high tail it out of there, grabbing for dear life their Gamers bags, heading strait to 2ch and talk about how "they were there".
Pseudo-Graphic Designer, 触手 wrangler, H-Man
http://lightningsabre.blogspot.com/
OMG look at that wall of smoke!! Jeez so many things happening in Akiba these days. Glad those workers are fine now.
former Emperor of Britannia
http://reflectiarx.wordpress.com/
And the skies of the holy ground turned from blue to black.
kinda makes me wonder if this might be caused by smoking or a faulty electrical
wiring.
NEET part-time - Technical Support Officer - Network security engineer
http://burugureibi.blogspot.com/
wow, it nearly looks like nighttime in that pic
Office Administrator
http://aquilla429.co.uk
Thats awful, but I'm glad to hear everyone seems to be ok.
Student Otaku (ITM Student) and ACG NA Staff
http://koiaichaku.com/
Oh boy...
Another incident in Akihabara...
It seems that at least 1 incident happens in Akiba every year now...
I think I know where your talking about...
Across from Mandarke the contruction place...I've seen it when i went to Japan in the summer...
I just hope things in Akihabara will return to normal too...
I hope the construction workers are alright...
Close-protection officer/Martial artist
This is caused by tiny mini skirts, I just know it!
Student, part-time Haruhi wannabe (that bit about godhood etc)
http://www.aprilius20.com
Mini skirts cause body temperature to rise, thus causing fires? Interesting^^;
free lance otaku, full time Protector of Peace.
someone "Flame On!!" while peeking at moe materials..
Otari Vader, Sith Lord for Hire, will fillet Makoto Itou for free
http://coffeebugg.blogspot.com/
wow.. hope nobody got hurt.
Student/Music Producer/Web Designer
http://www.myspace.com/lionbiscuits
Oh wow...
Dang wonder what in the world could have caused that?...
free lance otaku, full time Protector of Peace.
wow. that was scary..
Overman
http://myplasticmoustache.blogspot.com/
Wow, that's dark. I remember way back when I was a kid my dad and I were walking along the city streets when we spotted a local Dunkin' Donuts had caught fire. A really big blaze. My dad tried to help out while I just watched from a safe distance. Really hot stuff.
College Student
http://bayonette.multiply.com
Hmm, I hope that this incident is not caused by some Akihabara patriots... or worse, anti-otaku terrorists!
Young Grasshopper
http://miragestrike.blogspot.com
Anti-Otaku terrorists?! I thought they were only a myth. D:
thousand master II, Internet Learner, Auto didacta
http://pipopaz.wordpress.com/
koaii...
大学生
Oh my. Hope everybody is okay!
pervert
i dont know if people were taking pictures with their cellphones or not but i remember that there were other people that i saw while walking across the bridge that was taking pictures with their cameras
Student
wow, hope that building doesn't become delayed by 6months or so because of this incident T_T
a whole new building for new maid cafe's and more stores D:
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
Good thing no one got hurt and the fire was controled...
Our sanctuary must not be defilled! xD
Student, Uncle & hopfully a good husband..
I hope not many goods are damaged...
alunmi student
Luckily no casualties involved :x would of been a disaster
銀河帝国五〇一軍团 TK/TD 8316 M.E.P.D. Police Sergeant
http://gordonator.com/
good thing the meidos are alright.
University Student
That looks really bad, hope everyone is ok
Student
http://sanguinerose.wordpress.com/
Hopefully everyone's alright.
Student
http://shockerz.wordpress.com/
lol.. saw some funny comments here. Looks like the figures is more important than the real human being getting save.
Otaku / Student in Networking
http://hayasaki-kun.blogspot.com/
Good to heard that no one got hurt
student, doujinshi manga artist
good thing that YOU werent in it. And yes, that does remind everyone of 9-11. Guess we cant forget
Supreme Commander of NERV Co.
That looks pretty bad. Hopefully the people trapped were safely escorted outside. ^^
Student
This happens from time to time when when they do welding or cutting and there are a lot of sparks. Had a similar thing here too, they were repairing something in a school and the roof caught fire. Luckily it was weekends and no students were in it.
College student, Mech programmer and striving photographer.
http://moeforme.blogspot.com
Hopefully no eroge were harmed in that fire ^^
Dental Technician, i make teeth!
http://antsizedman.blogspot.com/
Hope no one was harmed seriously.
Strange how there is a devined wall of smoke.
Injured
Its good the fire department got it undercontrol, saved the lives of all the anime figurines near by. Hate how the smoke smell sticks to every thing.
Young Grasshopper
http://miragestrike.blogspot.com
Hope everyone was alright. Wish i was there so i can save the otaku goods. :(
student
I'm sure it's onisep's fault
They are trying to burn our holy-land
College Freshmen
The first thing I would do is leave so that I don't have smoke inhalation poisoning (or whatever it's called).
Web Designer & Game Developer
http://www.naffworld.co.uk/blog/
Gotta love how some guys are still shopping, true Otaku dilligence!
Online Shop
http://wildarms.egloos.com
Ooo, I know where that is, that place been on construction for ages, it's always been like that for past 3 years that I went to Japan. Hopefully nobody got hurt. I guess that place will be on construction for longer time now @_@
Student, health worker
http://www.bitterbrownieprince.deviantart.com
Oh dear ;A; I hope everyone has a safe recovery...
Student
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dramacd/
In before the news blames this on anime/manga.
Student
http://andreijournal.blogspot.com
Good thing Japanese aren't dis-organized in this situation. They look like seeing an event in a circus. LOL
???Confused???
Luckily no one was hurt...
Student
Aaa, that picture is scary.
Student
http://www.lesterho.com
Wow.. this is indeed surprising. I was suppose to go to Akihabara today and didn't notice this happens yesterday. Will take some of the photos there later to see the remaining.
Graphic Arts Student
Wow... hopefully everyone is doing alright.
http://akari-nyan.deviantart.com/
Oh wow, hope no ones hurt!
Kokoro Kotonoha's personal trainer
http://loli1983.wordpress.com
Whoa. That's something i have never seened happen in Akihabara.
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
those guys are rather nonchalant given that you have a raging fire in the background....
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
Woah... aren't fires in Tokyo too dangerous seeing as buildings are really close in there?
Compared to the fires here, this one is rather small. Fires here affect a lot of people especially if it starts in the squatters area, where houses are only made out of wood and packed together. Expect refugees in local gyms and schools and body bags of burned copse x_x
Student/Part-timer
http://random-euphoria.blogspot.com/
ugh construction fires...see a few of them here and there every year. I always feel pity for the construction workers, all that hard work put in and you watch it go up in smoke- literally...
Otaku Student
Am I the only one as spaced out as me, or did the title make anyone else think of "Fire in the Disco"? I think pretty much whenever someone says "Fire in.." to start something, I always think of that song.
mouse clicker
nah, it not important. see----> no one is panic. LOL
90's F1 Afficionate and Anti-Otaku
http://www.livestream.com/f1action
Looks like an F7 tornado headed straight at ya
But the Japanese ain't braced up for a tornado beyond F2
student, ventilation fitter
that looks bad...