Three killed in Japanese apartment blaze

Tokyo, Aug 22 (IANS) Three people were killed and two others reported missing on Tuesday after a massive fire erupted in a residential building in Japan's Akita prefecture, police said.

The fire broke out in the building housing 25 residents in the city of Yokote at around 1 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency.

According to firefighters, 10 residents aged in their 40s and 60s were injured.

Two victims died in the spot while the third one succumbed to severe burn injuries at a hospital, the police said.

The blaze, which gutted the entire building along with three nearby buildings, was doused after about five hours.

The cause of the fire is being probed.

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