Kobe: Four men died in a fire at an apartment in Kobe, western Japan, in the small hours of Sunday.

The fire, which burned a total of 60 square meters on the first and second floors, also left four other men, who are in their 40s to 70s, in critical condition.

According to local police and fire authorities, there was an emergency call shortly past 1:30 a.m. (4:30 p.m. Saturday GMT) reporting that black smoke was rising from the three-story apartment.

The fire, put out about three hours later, is believed to have started on the first floor, where the four dead victims were found.

The apartment had about 30 residents. Nobody is believed be left inside.

The fire authorities said the apartment, built in 1963, had 31 small rooms.

Makoto Yamamoto, who lives on the second floor, said that he woke up to the voice of a woman shouting outside.

Seeing his room filled with white smoke, Yamamoto, 54, dashed out of the building immediately while still wearing pajamas.

The apartment stands in a residential area about 700 meters southwest of JR Kobe Station.

JIJI Press