Man, in his 50s, starts fire at Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, turns himself in 20 minutes later

A man turned himself in at a police station in Tokyo after he apparently started a fire at the Shibuya scramble crossing on Friday night, Apr. 4.

Fire started at Shibuya crossing

Tokyo police had received a report shortly after 9pm that someone had poured gasoline from a plastic bottle at the crossing and set it on fire with a lighter, reported NHK.

The fire spread approximately one square metre of the intersection, and was put out by police officers with nobody injured.

"I saw smoke go up in the scramble crossing, and when I approached, I saw a fire in the middle of it," said a witness, according to Kyodo News.

"Three to four police officers were putting it out," the witness added.

Turned himself in 20 minutes after incident

About 20 minutes after the incident, a man in his 50s showed up at the nearby police station, claiming responsibility for the incident.

The suspect lives in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and claims to be a painter.

A piece of cardboard with a written message was left behind at the scene.

Local police are investigating the incident.

Top image via Unsplash, Tokyo_FD_fz/X