Sennichi Department Store Building fire

The Sennichi Department Store Building fire occurred in Sennichimae, Minami-ku (now Chuo-ku), Osaka, Japan on May 13, 1972.

The regulations and laws at the time of the construction of buildings collectively allowed these faults to occur.

The fire started at 22:27 on the third floor, where women's dresses were sold and several electricians were working.

[3] The cause of the fire was said to be a cigarette butt[4] or a smouldering match left behind by a construction worker.

Toxic gases and smoke resulting from burning construction materials filled the stairway and caused the majority of the casualties.

[4] When elevators ceased to function after the fire severed power cables, the situation turned into a mass panic.

[4] Responding firefighters who entered the cabaret found that many of the victims may have not had enough time to react to the fire, discovering individuals without thermal burns and positioned as they were engaging in daily activities.

[3] About 49 victims were evacuated via ladders, but many deaths were attributed to the misuse of the two tubular canvas escape chutes.