1973 Taiyo Department Store fire
Encyclopedia
The Taiyo Department Store fire was a fire
at the Taiyo Department Store, a department store
in Kumamoto City
, Kumamoto Prefecture
, Japan
. The fire started at 1:15 p.m. on November 29, 1973; 103 people died. After the fire, regulations pertaining to the construction of buildings were strengthened, one of which was the building of external steps outside of the high-storied buildings.
The Taiyo Department Store had a basement
floor and nine stories. Some areas were under construction. It was the most popular department store in Kumamoto City at that time.
The fire started on the platform of steps between the second and third floors, on which goods were placed. The cause of the fire could not be determined. The fire sprinkler system did not work because of ongoing construction work being done. The fire was televised live and it was reported that the smoke, which was in various colors and odors, was poisonous. Many people were saved from the rooftop of the store. Some people jumped to the ceiling of a nearby arcade
under construction and were injured.
When the victims were 100 in number, 10 male and 36 female department store employees died, three part-time female workers died, and three male construction worker
s died. Buying customers, 16 males and 32 females died. Causes of death included 70 deaths by carbon dioxide intoxication
, 30 deaths by suffocation
, and three other deaths. Forty-three males and 77 females were injured. Seventy-one dead bodies were found: Two on the third floor, 11 on the fourth floor, one on the fifth floor, 26 on the sixth floor, 30 on the seventh floor, and one on the eighth floor.
The Kumamoto City Physicians' Association later pointed out that every physicians' association should prepare for such disasters and organize rescue teams with medical instruments. Injured persons should be saved and transferred as soon as possible. There should be a unified system which gives directions in such large-scale disasters. The traffic should be under control. Practitioners should work as volunteers.
The fire was one of the deadliest department store fires in Japan; the Osaka Sennichi department store building fire in 1972 killed 118 people. The Sennichi Department Store fire was also called the Sennichi Department Building Store fire, since it was composed of various stores (shopping centers and a cabaret). All of the victims were from the cabaret.
Fire
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....
at the Taiyo Department Store, a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in Kumamoto City
Kumamoto, Kumamoto
is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census...
, Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The fire started at 1:15 p.m. on November 29, 1973; 103 people died. After the fire, regulations pertaining to the construction of buildings were strengthened, one of which was the building of external steps outside of the high-storied buildings.
The Taiyo Department Store had a basement
Basement
__FORCETOC__A basement is one or more floors of a building that are either completely or partially below the ground floor. Basements are typically used as a utility space for a building where such items as the furnace, water heater, breaker panel or fuse box, car park, and air-conditioning system...
floor and nine stories. Some areas were under construction. It was the most popular department store in Kumamoto City at that time.
The fire started on the platform of steps between the second and third floors, on which goods were placed. The cause of the fire could not be determined. The fire sprinkler system did not work because of ongoing construction work being done. The fire was televised live and it was reported that the smoke, which was in various colors and odors, was poisonous. Many people were saved from the rooftop of the store. Some people jumped to the ceiling of a nearby arcade
Video arcade
An amusement arcade or video arcade is a venue where people play arcade games such as video games, pinball machines, electro-mechanical games, redemption games, merchandisers , or coin-operated billiards or air hockey tables...
under construction and were injured.
When the victims were 100 in number, 10 male and 36 female department store employees died, three part-time female workers died, and three male construction worker
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
s died. Buying customers, 16 males and 32 females died. Causes of death included 70 deaths by carbon dioxide intoxication
Hypercapnia
Hypercapnia or hypercapnea , also known as hypercarbia, is a condition where there is too much carbon dioxide in the blood...
, 30 deaths by suffocation
Suffocation
Suffocation is the process of Asphyxia.Suffocation may also refer to:* Suffocation , an American death metal band* "Suffocation", a song on Morbid Angel's debut album, Altars of Madness...
, and three other deaths. Forty-three males and 77 females were injured. Seventy-one dead bodies were found: Two on the third floor, 11 on the fourth floor, one on the fifth floor, 26 on the sixth floor, 30 on the seventh floor, and one on the eighth floor.
The Kumamoto City Physicians' Association later pointed out that every physicians' association should prepare for such disasters and organize rescue teams with medical instruments. Injured persons should be saved and transferred as soon as possible. There should be a unified system which gives directions in such large-scale disasters. The traffic should be under control. Practitioners should work as volunteers.
The fire was one of the deadliest department store fires in Japan; the Osaka Sennichi department store building fire in 1972 killed 118 people. The Sennichi Department Store fire was also called the Sennichi Department Building Store fire, since it was composed of various stores (shopping centers and a cabaret). All of the victims were from the cabaret.
Comments
- Soon after the fire, a university professor observed the burnt department store and wrote the following comments.
- The Taiyo department store is a common one, and this kind of burns may happen anywhere in Japan. It was reported that a cardboard box started to give smoke into the ceiling and a part-timer informed employee A and B, the informed section chief D and 4 or 5 people rushed to the scene. A fire hose did not work because of low pressure. An ABC fire extinguisher (or extinguishers) was left, probably they did not know how to use it. 20 bucketfuls of water were not effective. The fire wall went down by pushing the button twice; but in front of it were Japanese cushins which caught fire strongly.
- The response of the department store was very bad. Telephone operator E received the fire call from A and B, and forwarded the call to chief F; who said he dialed 119 but it did not go to the fire station. Inside broadcasting system required the permission of a superior who could not be reached. Operator E could view what was happening but escaped on the elevator of employees.
- The author studied the number of dead persons and their places and found that the behaviour of persons was closely related to the places and number of dead persons. The factors included the brightness of the places; many persons stated that the electricity went down and the smoke darkened the places. Without the guidance of employees, it was hard for the guests to use employees' elevator and to escape. By the guidance of employees, 70 guests who were in the dining room and 60 employees escaped to the rooftop.
After the Fire
The 1972 Sennichi Department Store Building fire and the 1973 Taiyo Department Store fire, both causing many casualties, finally led to the amendments of the Construction Standard Law and the Fire Fighting Law. There should be steps which should prevent smokes from coming to escaping people.External links
- Taiyo Department Store fire, in Japanese