At least 140 buildings on fire in wind-swept blaze in Japan

Smoke billow during a fire in Itoigawa, northern Japan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. A fire whipped by high winds has spread to at least 140 buildings in a small Japanese city on the Japan Sea coast. The fire department says the blaze started at a restaurant in Itoigawa city Thursday morning. By mid-afternoon, 140 houses and other buildings had caught fire, and the fire is still spreading. (Kyodo News via AP) (The Associated Press)

Smoke billow from houses during a fire in Itoigawa, northern Japan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. A fire whipped by high winds has spread to at least 140 buildings in a small Japanese city on the Japan Sea coast. The fire department says the blaze started at a restaurant in Itoigawa city Thursday morning. By mid-afternoon, 140 houses and other buildings had caught fire, and the fire is still spreading. (Kyodo News via AP) (The Associated Press)

Smoke billow from houses during a fire in Itoigawa, northern Japan, Thursday, Dec. 22, 2016. A fire whipped by high winds has spread to at least 140 buildings in a small Japanese city on the Japan Sea coast. The fire department says the blaze started at a restaurant in Itoigawa city Thursday morning. By mid-afternoon, 140 houses and other buildings had caught fire, and the fire is still spreading. (Kyodo News via AP) (The Associated Press)