KYODO NEWS - Nov 22, 2018 - 18:16 | Urgent, All, Japan

Seven people were found dead Thursday after a fire at a wooden house in Japan's northeastern prefecture of Fukushima, local police said.

Firefighters received an emergency call at around 11:05 p.m. Wednesday about the fire in the town of Ono, roughly 190 kilometers northeast of Tokyo. The fire was extinguished about an hour later.

A total of nine people including four children lived in the house owned by 61-year-old Tsuneyoshi Shiota. Two of the residents -- Shiota's 57-year-old wife and his son-in-law aged 33 -- have been confirmed to be safe.

Shiota's wife sustained minor injuries to both her hands.

The other residents were Shiota's mother, 81, daughter, 30, and four grandchildren aged between 3 and 8, according to the police.

The fire burned down the two-story house and an adjacent warehouse.

A neighbor said Shiota has limited mobility due to ongoing health issues.

Another neighbor said he noticed the fire after hearing a dog's barking. "When I looked outside, the home was in flames. I also heard two or three explosions," he said, adding, "The kids were still small."