Emergency services respond to fire at Nintendo’s Japanese HQ
Police claim that no one was injured in the fire on the third floor of the company’s Kyoto building
Eight fire engines were reportedly called to Nintendo’s headquarters on Monday after a fire broke out in its Kyoto, Japan-based development building.
According to police cited in the Japanese media, the fire was reported just after 1pm but was extinguished by employees before emergency services arrived at the scene.
It’s reported that desks and chairs in a room on the third floor were partially burned in the fire, but that no one was injured.
The police and fire department are investigating the cause of the fire, but it’s claimed that based on the conditions at the scene, it’s believed that the fire could have been caused by an electronic device that was being charged.
Japan is currently in the midst of a record summer in terms of severe heat days, with the country having experienced over 14 days of temperatures over 35 degrees Celsius so far.
Only weeks ago, Nintendo outlined emergency plans for its Japanese headquarters, in case of a disaster such as a major earthquake affecting its Kyoto buildings.
In a shareholder Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa claimed that even in the event of such a disaster, the company has a detailed plan for how it could continue operating.
“Even if our business continuity is hindered by a natural disaster, such as an earthquake, or by some dangerous infectious disease which is highly contagious and could cause a serious medical condition, we have a documented response plan and have implemented various proactive measures so that we can restore operations as quickly as possible,” he said.
“If a disaster occurs, we will convene a disaster response committee headed by the president that will act to confirm the safety of our employees, protect the integrity of company property, and secure personnel and communication systems for the recovery effort.”
Further reading
Nintendo buys the land next to its Japan HQ to build a new development centre by 2027
Furukawa also claimed that Nintendo has taken other measures such as creating data backups and using multiple manufacturing partners to make sure any disruption is minimal.
As much as 18.5% of the world’s earthquakes take place in Japan, despite its land only covering 0.25% of the planet, according to the country’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Tourism.
In April, Nintendo announced that it had successfully purchased the land next to its main headquarters in Japan, and plans to build a new 12-floor development centre there by 2027.
