Arson suspected in Japan clinic blaze with 27 feared dead

Firetrucks are seen in front of a building where a fire broke out in Osaka, western Japan December 17, 2021 in this photo taken by Kyodo. Kyodo/via REUTERS

OSAKA, Japan (Reuters) -At least 27 people were feared dead after a fire swept through a psychiatry clinic in the Japanese city of Osaka on Friday, and police were investigating possible arson after reports a man had spilled liquid that fuelled the blaze.

The fire broke out at the clinic on the fourth floor of an office building in a busy district of the western city at around 10 a.m. (0100 GMT), public broadcaster NHK said.