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KDDI apologizes for massive Mongolian grassland fire
Japanese telecommunications giant KDDI has issued a formal apology following a massive grassland fire in Mongolia’s Numrug Nature Reserve, which occurred on October 8. The fire, which burned for eight days before being contained on October 16, affected approximately 530,000 hectares, roughly 80 percent of the protected area and about 2.4 times the size of Tokyo.
KDDI stated that the fire originated from a vehicle used by employees of its local subsidiary, Mobicom. According to the company, the team was visiting the reserve at the request of the Border Port Bureau to attend a network launch ceremony and conduct 4G signal quality tests. KDDI maintains that the group had official entry permits and was traveling under the supervision of local authorities, with three government vehicles escorting the two Mobicom vehicles.
While initial reports from some Mongolian and Chinese media suggested the executives entered the area for illegal hunting or fishing of the endangered Amur sturgeon, KDDI has denied these allegations, stating no laws were violated. The company reported that smoke was observed coming from beneath a vehicle while stopping to remove dry grass, which subsequently ignited the surrounding vegetation.
The Mongolian government is currently investigating the exact cause of the fire and is considering claims for compensation to cover environmental damage and firefighting costs. KDDI has pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation and work with local authorities on environmental recovery efforts.
Entities
KDDI · Mobicom Corporation LLC · Mongolia · Numrug Nature Reserve · Yasuhiro Ochi
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Mongolian government is considering seeking compensation for damages. www.antaranews.com · www.tokyo-sports.co.jp · www.huffingtonpost.jp · www.stheadline.com
- [● 5 SOURCES] The fire burned approximately 530,000 hectares of land. agora-web.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · www.tokyo-sports.co.jp · www.huffingtonpost.jp · www.stheadline.com
- [● 8 SOURCES] KDDI's subsidiary Mobicom was involved in the incident. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · www.antaranews.com · www.itmedia.co.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · +3 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] A grassland fire occurred in Mongolia's Numrug Nature Reserve on October 8. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · www.antaranews.com · www.itmedia.co.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · +3 more
- [● 8 SOURCES] The visit was for network commissioning and 4G quality testing. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · www.antaranews.com · www.itmedia.co.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · +3 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Mobicom employees had official entry permits from the border guard. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · www.itmedia.co.jp · www.huffingtonpost.jp
- [● 5 SOURCES] The fire was caused by smoke emanating from the underside of a vehicle. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · www.itmedia.co.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · www.huffingtonpost.jp
- [● 6 SOURCES] The fire destroyed about 80 percent of the Numrug Nature Reserve. coki.jp · agora-web.jp · news.cube-soft.jp · www.tokyo-sports.co.jp · www.huffingtonpost.jp · +1 more