Man in Japan scatters oil onto world-famous Shibuya Crossing & sets it on fire
At around 9pm on Friday (3 April), a man poured gasoline on the ground at the crossing in front of Tokyo’s Shibuya railway station before setting it on fire.
Emergency services were alerted, and authorities rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire.
Police officers confirmed that no injuries were reported.
Man sets road on fire
Clips circulating online showed the man rushing to the middle of the intersection as people scrambled across the road.
He then puts down a piece of cardboard on the road before beginning to pour liquid out of a bottle around it.
Vehicles attempted to maneuver its way around the man as he continued the act.
Source: @Tokyo_FD_fz on X
Once he had almost fully formed a circle around the cardboard, the man reached down and lit the liquid on fire as he attempted to flee the scene.
Source: @Tokyo_FD_fz on X
According to the NHK, the fire spread around one square metre of the intersection.
Turned himself in
Police officers received an alert at 9.05pm and quickly rushed to the scene. They put the fire out using extinguishers.
Source: NHK
A piece of cardboard with a written message on it was discovered at the scene, but no reports indicate what was written on it.
According to Kyodo News, a man in his 50s turned himself in at a police station about 20 minutes after the incident, telling authorities that he had poured gasoline onto the ground before setting it on fire.
Tokyo police are investigating the man’s motive behind the act.
Also read: Fires reported at Bukit Brown cemetery during Qing Ming, NEA urges visitors to burn responsibly
Fires reported at Bukit Brown cemetery during Qing Ming, NEA urges visitors to burn responsibly
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Featured image adapted from @Tokyo_FD_fz on X and @hst_tvasahi on X.
