4 killed in commercial building fire in north of Tokyo

TOKYO, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed and at least eight others injured in a fire at a three-storey building in Saitama city, north of Tokyo, local police said Sunday.

Local fire department said the fire broke out around 2:00 p.m. local time at the building where a sex service parlor was located.

Some 20 firefighting vehicles and 100 fire fighters were dispatched to the scene and the fire was put out about seven hours later.

A witness told public broadcaster NHK that smoke could be seen coming out of the building from 200 meters away and he heard explosion sounds four or five times.

Local police have been looking into the cause of the accident as well as the identity of the dead. Enditem