Mar 09 (Japan Today) - Police in Shikama, Miyagi Prefecture, said Sunday they have arrested a 15-year-old boy over a fire that destroyed a house where he lived with five other family members, two of whom died in the blaze.
Police said the boy, who has admitted to starting the fire in his bedroom, has initially been charged with arson, Fuji TV reported. According to police, flames were seen coming from the two-story wooden house of 69-year-old farmer Shinichi Tsuruya at around 2:20 a.m. Tsuruya lived in the house with his wife, his daughter Hiromi, 46, her husband, 52, and their two children ― the suspect and his 18-year-old sister.
It took firefighters about two hours to extinguish the blaze. Two bodies were found inside ― the suspect’s mother and his sister. The three other family members managed to get out and were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The boy was seen wandering in the area at around 9:30 a.m., at which point he was questioned by police and admitted to starting the fire, police said, adding that so far, he has given no motive.
