Tokyo elementary school fire evacuates 300, injures

A fire broke out at an elementary school in Tokyo on Friday, June 19, 2026, forcing the evacuation of approximately 300 students and staff. All individuals were safely evacuated or rescued, though at least one teacher and several children sustained non-life-threatening injuries, primarily from smoke inhalation.

The blaze erupted in a music room on the fourth floor of the four-story Takinogawa Daisan Elementary School, also known as Takinogawa No. 3 Elementary School, in the city's northern Kita ward. Thick black smoke billowed from the building shortly after 11 a.m., drawing a massive emergency response. Dozens of fire engines and helicopters were deployed to the scene as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames.

Officials confirmed that the majority of those inside the building evacuated on their own to a nearby park. However, television footage and witness accounts captured a dramatic rescue for some. Children and a teacher were seen escaping through windows onto a concrete ledge to avoid the smoke, where firefighters used ladders to bring them to safety. One sixth-grade student described suddenly smelling smoke while in a classroom two rooms away from the music room....