Effects of Fire

The damage due to the atomic bomb was amplified by the composite effect of thermal radiation, blast, and the fire that occurred secondarily.
With the explosion, all the houses in the hypocenter burst into flames. The fire spread in all directions until the whole city was soon enveloped in flames. Had there been no fire, many people could have escaped with only injuries. However, unable to escape from the terrible blaze, they were burnt to death trapped in buildings blown down by the blast. It is presumed that bums due to thermal radiation and fire were the cause of about 60% of deaths.
Everything combustible within a radius of 2 kilometers from the hypocenter burnt completely, leaving the city of Hiroshima turned into scorched earth.

The scorched earth: Looking south from the roof of a building near Yamaguchi-cho. With nothing to obstruct the view, Mukoujina, a gas tank, and Ninoshima island in Iliroshima Bay seem near at hand.