Dozens dead on arson attack at Kyoto Studio

[SilverFang01]

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-49027178

Perpetrator has been caught.

[Bob Schroeck]

"You copied it", "You ripped me off"... It will be interesting to find out if the perpetrator actually had a real beef against the studio or was just a delusional loon.

[Matrix Dragon]

"You copied it", "You ripped me off"...  It will be interesting to find out if the perpetrator actually had a real beef against the studio or was just a delusional loon.

At this point, I can't care about his motives. That son of a bitch apparently blocked fire exits before starting the fire.

[Bob Schroeck]

No argument, he deserves to have the book thrown at him. He's a murderer. I'm just curious about his motives, and his sanity. I don't know enough about the Japanese legal system to know how they treat the insane, and if it will make a difference in his prosecution.

[Dartz]

He's already dead, apparantly. It appearrs he was a train nut nnoyed that KyoAni had remixed a train-jingle for saxiphone - or something pathetic .

I knew something was wrong when I heard the phrase 'Kyoto Animation' on the morning news. Those're two words that would never normally appearr on RTE news.

And it just sort of got wronger as the day went on.

People died in the staircases trying to get to the roof. God only knows if the door was locked or the staircase was just blocked.

There really is nothing else to say beyond echoing how fucking awful it is.

[Labster]

Like, I don't even have words for this. I know the Endless Eight were bad, but I don't think immolation fits the crime at all. What the hell. Fuck.

[SilverFang01]

Sentai Filmworks has organized a fundraiser to help KyoAni:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kyoani-heal

[robkelk]

He's already dead, apparantly.

CBC Radio is reporting he's still alive, in the hospital with burns, and under guard.

The radio report provide the alleged attacker's name - as per my own policy, I won't repeat it.

Quoting from the CBC News report:

Japanese media reported the fire might have been set near the front door, forcing people to find other ways out of the building.

The building has a spiral staircase that may have allowed flames and smoke to rise quickly to the top floor, NHK reported. Fire expert Yuji Hasemi at Waseda University told NHK that paper drawings and other documents in the studio also may have contributed to the fire's rapid spread.

Firefighters found 20 bodies on the third floor and some on the stairs to the roof, where they had apparently collapsed, Kyoto fire official Kazuhiro Hayashi said. Two were found dead on the first floor, and 11 others on the second floor, he said.

[Labster]

At this point, I can't care about his motives. That son of a bitch apparently blocked fire exits before starting the fire.

Yeah, that didn't happen.  There was no fire exit; as a small office building none was required under fire code.  Neither were fire sprinklers.  The building passed inspection.

The security system was disabled that day to help visitors from another company come in.  The perp wheeled in a whole cart of gasoline.

My guess on the policy fallout of this is that fire code will get tougher.  It's still no Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, but it's a big enough deal to drive home the need for more fire safety.

And also, be wary of passing on early reports.  People often get the wrong ideas.

[Matrix Dragon]

Thanks for the clarification Lab, that's what I get for looking at an early article and avoiding followups out of disgust.

[Black Aeronaut]

They didn't have fire exits!?

How old was this building? I mean, I know for a fact that the Japanese are absolutely paranoid about this kind of thing.

You know that windows over there marked with a triangle have emergency escape-to-ground kits? It's all stored under the window sill, and has equipment that allows people ride a sort of zip-line to the ground. It requires outside assistance to set up (secure the lines to the provide anchors outside the building), but when I was there, most buildings I'd been in had these.

[Bob Schroeck]

No argument, he deserves to have the book thrown at him.

It was, it hit, and it hit hard.

Man sentenced to death for Kyoto anime fire which killed 36

[Dartz]

I still don't believe in the death penalty.



If he survived his injuries, he was always going to do Danny Deever's jig. But it seems, sticking him in an oubliette and quietly forgetting about his existance and even his name might've been more appropriate.


Apparently the hospital used only artifical skin on him or something as an experiment - rather than donor or cadaver skin. He survived 90% burns or something, just so they could try him and hang him.