On February 14 at around 10:20 AM, a fire burned a man during a controlled burn event in Akiyoshidai, located in Mine City, Yamaguchi Prefecture. Emergency services received a call from the site indicating that a person was on fire and required an ambulance. The man was later found to have suffered severe burns and was transported to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead. According to city officials, the victim was a firefighting official involved in safety work at the scene and was not reachable post-incident.

The controlled burn in Akiyoshidai is a traditional event, which has previously been marred by incidents; a tragic fire accident occurred in 2017 during the same event when a man lost his life. Following that incident, the city had implemented safety measures and created a manual to optimize procedures. This recent fatality has led the city to re-evaluate these safety protocols, emphasizing the ongoing risks associated with such controlled burns.

Local police are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the man's death with an aim to understand how safety warnings or procedures might have failed during the event. As this story unfolds, it sheds light on the complexities and dangers of controlled burning practices, which, while intended for ecological management, can lead to tragic outcomes without stringent safety protocols in place.