Seven killed in Japan hotel blaze

JAPAN: Seven people died after a fire swept through a Japanese hotel on Sunday morning, the local police and fire department said. “Seven people - three men and four women - are dead,” said a local police officer, giving no further details with identities yet to be confirmed.

The seven were among 10 people taken to hospital after the fire, a fire department official said.

The blaze took place at a hotel in Fukuyama, 600 kilometres (373 miles) west of Tokyo, in Hiroshima prefecture, the officials said.

Three people, including a hotel employee, were injured, Jiji Press said.

The cause of the fire, now under control, was not known immediately, police said.

AFP