Shirokiya Department Store fire (白木屋大火, Shirokiya Taika) was a fire at the Shirokiya Department Store, Tokyo, Japan, on December 16, 1932 which left 14 people dead and 67 people injured. The Shirokiya Department store had eight stories and two underground floors. Floors 4 through 8 caught fire in the incident.
It is thought in Japan that the Shirokiya Department Store fire was a catalyst for the change in fashion customs towards women wearing Western-style underwear, but there is no evidence to substantiate the belief.
Fire
At the time, the Shirokiya Department Store was having a year-end Christmas theme sale, and the interior was extravagantly decorated. The fire started around 9:15am, shortly before it was to open for business, in the toy section. A clerk witnessed an electrical spark from a light bulb on a Christmas tree. The spark landed on some highly flammable celluloid toys, ignited them, and the fire quickly spread. The open staircase provided oxygen to fuel the flames and enabled the fire...
翠星石
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