Damage and Effects Caused by Tsunami Fires: Fire Spread, Fire Fighting and Evacuation

Abstract

The Great East Japan Earthquake triggered fire outbreaks in many structures and buildings including hazardous-material facilities. The tsunami induced by the Earthquake also produced a huge impact under which various tanks and gas-cylinder facilities, automobiles, etc. were damaged and caused hazardous materials, such as gas and gasoline to leak. In addition, the tsunami swept away numerous objects which collided each other and broken electric cables sparked. In such situations, fires broke out at various places throughout the tsunami affected region, and some escalated to large-scale urban fires or forest fires. Many of the people that had been evacuated from the tsunami-affected zone had once again to be evacuated to avoid the spreading, escalating fires.