Party boat catches fire on Arakawa River in Tokyo

TOKYO -- A party cruise boat, or yakatabune, caught fire on the Arakawa River here on March 27, injuring one of four crew members aboard the boat, police and firefighters said.

A woman passing by the site reported the fire to emergency services at around 5:10 p.m. on the day, saying, "I saw what looks like a party boat burning."

According to the Metropolitan Police Department's Senju Police Station, the fire razed the boat anchored by the side of the river and fireboats sprayed water on the vessel to extinguish the flames. Police said that the fire appeared to have started while an employee was heating oil to prepare food for customers.

(Japanese original by Toshiaki Uchihashi, City News Department)