27 people feared dead in building fire in Osaka
Tokyo, Dec 17: Twenty-seven people are feared dead after a fire broke out in a building in Osaka in western Japan, fire department officials said Friday.
The fire started on the fourth floor of an eight-story building in a shopping and entertainment area of Kitashinchi, Osaka city fire department official Akira Kishimoto said.
Twenty-eight people were affected, 27 of whom were found in a state of cardiac arrest, Kishimoto said. So far 23 people have been taken to nearby hospitals, he said.
The building houses an internal medicine clinic, an English language school and other businesses, NHK national television said.
The cause of the fire and other details were not immediately known. NHK said Osaka police are investigating the case as a possible arson.
People on other floors of the building were believed to have been evacuated, Kishimoto said.
NHK footage showed dozens of fire engines and police vehicles on the street near the building, with onlookers watching the development from across the street.
In all, 70 fire engines were mobilized to fight the fire, which was mostly extinguished within about 30 minutes of an emergency call, officials said.
27 feared dead in building #fire in #Japan's #Osaka pic.twitter.com/wauDELVc1G
— Anshu Singh (@Anshujourno92) December 17, 2021
#BREAKING NEWS | #JAPAN FIRE
— Journalist Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) December 17, 2021
Fire breaks out in #Osaka building, dozens feared trapped. Japan's NHK television says 27 people feared dead in building fire in Osaka. pic.twitter.com/lNEAHb9wia
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Belagavi: UT Khader lauds Munawwar Zama's Four-Pillar Education Model
Hubballi/Belagavi: Eminent motivational speaker and educationist Munawar Zama delivered the keynote address at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Sana Group of Institutions, held at the Presidency Club in Belagavi. The event brought together management heads and senior representatives of educational institutions from across North Karnataka.
The programme was attended by several dignitaries, including U. T. Khader, Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, B. Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, Minister for Housing, Waqf and Minority Welfare, and Naseer Ahmed, Political Secretary to the Chief Minister of Karnataka. During the event, Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan felicitated Munawar Zama in recognition of his contribution to education and youth development.
In his address, Munawar Zama spoke on the importance of effective management and coordination in educational institutions. He presented what he described as a “four-pillar” model of education, comparing an institution to a vehicle that requires all four wheels to function smoothly. According to him, the four essential pillars are management, teachers, parents and students, and imbalance among any of these can affect the overall progress of an institution.
Explaining the role of management, he said leadership plays a central role in shaping the vision, governance standards, infrastructure and learning environment of an institution. He emphasised the need for transparent systems and long-term planning to sustain academic quality and public trust.
He described teachers as the backbone of the education system, noting that their role extends beyond academics to shaping students’ values, confidence and character. He said motivated teachers, supported through professional development and institutional backing, help create an environment that encourages discipline, curiosity and critical thinking.
On the role of parents, Munawar Zama said education is a shared responsibility. He stressed that parental involvement strengthens coordination with teachers and helps reinforce positive habits and values in students. Students, he said, remain the central focus of the educational ecosystem, and their attitude towards learning and growth determines the effectiveness of collective efforts.
He also highlighted the importance of mathematics, urging students to build a strong foundation in the subject regardless of their chosen fields. According to him, mathematics helps develop logical reasoning, analytical skills and structured problem-solving abilities that are relevant across professions.
Speaking on the occasion, Speaker U. T. Khader lauded Munawar Zama’s four-pillar education model, describing it as practical and relevant to the current needs of the education system. He said the framework clearly highlighted the shared responsibility of all stakeholders in building strong and effective educational institutions.
Participants, particularly institutional heads, said the four-pillar framework encouraged reflection on collective responsibility and balanced participation in education.
As part of its Silver Jubilee celebrations, the Sana Group of Institutions, based in Hubballi, organised the North Karnataka Educational Summit 2025. The institution is led by Chairman Mohammed Hussain Malagi, Managing Trustee Ashraf Ali Bashir Ahamed, and Executive Trustees Ayub Savanur, Mohammed Tariq Mujahid and Khalid Malagi.
A key outcome of the summit was the decision to form the Association for Advancement of Minority Institutions, North Karnataka (AAMINK). The association aims to work collectively on educational, administrative and legal issues, with the objective of strengthening minority institutions through cooperation and shared representation.
The Silver Jubilee celebrations concluded with discussions on institutional development and long-term strategies for improving education across the region.
