A large fire at a ship dismantling facility in Kure City, Hiroshima Prefecture, remained uncontrolled on Friday after burning for more than 24 hours.
The scale of the blaze has disrupted critical local infrastructure and forced the emergency relocation of hundreds of residents, including vulnerable elderly populations.
Firefighters and local authorities responded to the site in Oto-cho after the fire broke out around 12:50 p.m. on May 14, 2026 [1]. The blaze continued through the night and into May 15, with officials struggling to contain the flames.
Emergency orders required 650 people [2] from 356 households [2] to evacuate their homes. The evacuation effort included 26 residents and staff members from a local nursing home [2].
The firefighting operations have caused secondary disruptions to the community. Local authorities said water supply interruptions occurred in the vicinity as crews worked to extinguish the fire [3].
Residents described a night of distress and heavy pollution. "I woke up around 3 a.m., but the flames were still burning. The inside of the house smelled," a local resident said [4].
Authorities have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire. Efforts remain focused on extinguishing the blaze and preventing further damage to the surrounding infrastructure [3].
“A blaze at a scrapping facility in Kure City remains uncontrolled after 24 hours.”
The prolonged nature of this fire highlights the extreme hazards associated with ship dismantling yards, where the presence of industrial chemicals, fuels, and heavy metals can make containment difficult. The necessity of cutting off local water supplies to prioritize firefighting efforts underscores the vulnerability of municipal infrastructure during large-scale industrial accidents.
