Fire at Tokyo theater: 5 injured, over 1,000 evacuated

At least five people were injured and 1,400 were evacuated after a fire broke out at a large Tokyo theater playing to a packed audience, authorities said Wednesday. The fire erupted in the basement of the theater in central Tokyo at around 6:30 p.m. (0830 GMT) during a musical performance, according to Tokyo Fire Department official Kosei Takahashi.

Photo: Fire at Tokyo theater: 5 injured, over 1,000 evacuated

Four employees who tried to put out the fire suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation, Takahashi said. An audience member was also taken to the hospital but had no significant injuries, he said. About 1,400 people were evacuated from the theater as a precaution, according to Takahashi. The fire was extinguished in about 30 minutes after burning a small area in a prop storage space. The cause of the fire was still under investigation, Takahashi said, reports the AP.

N.U.