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OITA - Firefighters accidentally burned down the second floor of a fire brigade guardhouse here as they partied to celebrate a successful promotional event held to mark their firefighting skills, police said.

When the blaze broke out, many of the volunteer firefighters from the station were tucking into a Korean barbecue meal they had to celebrate the morning's dezome-shiki, a traditional New Year's event where firefighters display a series of acrobatic skills aimed at encouraging fire prevention awareness.

Though nobody was injured in the blaze, officials were extremely embarrassed by the incident.

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