4 perish in Ishinomaki residental fire
ISHINOMAKI —
A two-story wooden house in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, caught fire at around 3 a.m. Monday, killing four of the house’s occupants.
Ivestigators said a passerby noticed smoke emanating from the home, heard an explosion. He notified the fire department which mobilized eight vehicles. But the fire raged for approximately one hour before firefighters were able to control it. Firefighters said the house and a 200-meter-square area around it were almost completely consumed by the flames.
After the fire was extinguished, investigators found three bodies on the second floor of the home and a fourth victim was confirmed dead at the hospital a short time later.
NHK reported that Ishinomaki police had identified the four as Yoshikuni Tanisawa, 38, his Yuko, 35, who was pregnant, and their sons Shuto, 3, and Kaito, 2.
The broadcaster said that their house was flooded by the tsunami on March 11 and that the family had lived in a school shelter until recently when they moved back to live on the second floor of their home.
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16 Comments
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Nicky Washida
Oh my God! Maybe a fault caused by electrics after the tsunami or something? Who knows, but how completely terribly awful. RIP Tanisawa family. I sincerely hope wherever you are now you are all together and happy.
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Darren Brannan
Heartbreaking.
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Patricia Yarrow
Cause of the fire?
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Asagao
Praise to the fire brigade! 200 metre square is a massive fire! Please everybody check you have an up to date and working fire detector. Only cost around ¥2500 from a home centre. The warming would of saved the family before it was too late.
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zichi
I believe a law was passed recently requiring smoke detectors. My landlord gave me three to install and I put a little sticker on the gate. Fires in neighborhoods with wooden buildings spread so quickly. Some would say, five died in this fire?
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tokyokawasaki
Very sad news indeed. RIP young family.
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Nicky Washida
I was actually just thinking the same thing zichi. Im not a religious person at all, but I really hope a place exists where this family can all be together and happy. The thought of being the mother of those 2 little boys just breaks my heart.
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zichi
With people returning to their homes from shelters, they need to have the services checked for damage. Leaking gas pipes or glands and couplings and power systems which were flooded. Many homes which did survive still have no water, gas, sewage or power so people will start using candles or oil lights?
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Samantha Zoe Aso
THis is just beyond heartbreaking. They
d already lived through so much. I really dont get it. I was taught at Sunday School when I was a child, that God does everything for a reason. Looking at this year, I cannot comprehend what that plan is. I too hope that they are reunited. Somewhere safe with lots of sunshine.-1
pawatan
I think you mean could have. A fire in a wooden house with an explosion doesn't sound like something any detector would have helped with - they may have had one anyway.
Very sad - people in that area have been through way too much pain and heartbreak already...
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Nicky Washida
Is somebody just going through and deliberately thumbs downing everyones comments?
Because to thumbs down comments like "heartbreaking" and "very sad news indeed, RIP young family" is just pathetic.
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Nicky Washida
Re my previous post, thank you to whoever fixed the problem.
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John Becker
@pawatan: I gave you a thumbs up, because I'm a fan of irony.
Very sad for this family. I'll be interested to hear about the source of the explosion, but I'd be willing to bet it was an LP bottle.
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Ranger_Miffy2
Agree the thumbs up/down is distracting. Back to the story, it gives pause to consider that people returning to their homes face a shredded safety factor. Nothing should be taken for granted, including the safety of their homes, or the fire alarms. Wow. Still a long way to go for the refugees.
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illsayit
This story stuck in my head today at a meeting for Ishinomaki. I wonder that the family didnt even have the hope of God, and that perhaps the father felt there was no way he could see his way through with 2 little ones and a pregnant wife......To think of this makes me angry at the people talking about fire alarms, but more, I cant stop crying. I was staying away from Ishinomaki because even though I have a lot less than most as far as economics are concerned I feel truely blessed concerning my family, and I felt that that was something I didnt want to boast about. Im now waiting to hear from my husband and the good Lord to answer my prayers if that's where he wants me to go this weekend........Please give the people of the tsunami devasted area hope.
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