Tokyo: At least 24 people have been confirmed dead following a fire at a clinic in Japan's Osaka prefecture, according to police, who are investigating the event as a suspected arson. According to sources, a fire broke out on Friday on the fourth floor of a building in Osaka's Kitashinchi area, which provides psychosomatic and psychiatric therapies.

The local fire service sent about 70 fire engines and ambulances to the location after receiving a fire report around 10.20 a.m. local time. After blazing for about 30 minutes and covering an area of roughly 25 square metres, the fire was put out about 10.45 a.m. local time.

According to firefighters, a total of 28 persons were injured in the fire, with 27 of them, including 17 men and 10 women, in cardiac arrest and showing no signs of life. At this time, doctors at a hospital have confirmed at least 24 deaths.

According to the firefighters, the majority of the injured were saved from the fourth floor of the eight-story multi-tenant building near JR Osaka Station, while a woman in her 20s was rescued from the sixth floor.

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