The fire broke out at the three-story building at 10:30 AM local time on Thursday.

The suspect is a 41-year-old man who broke into the building and sprayed petrol before igniting it.

The BBC is also reporting that knives were found at the scene and the suspect was heard saying “drop dead” as he set fire to the building. His relationship with the animation studio is unclear. However, the most recent information says he is not a former employee or a currently disgruntled employee, but someone who was upset with the animation studio also known as KyoAni.

It took firefighters five hours to bring the blaze under control. They found 10 of the victims on the stairs, which links the second floor to the roof. They said they feared more people could still be on the top floor.

The BBC reports that a 59-year-old woman living nearby told news agency Kyodo, “a person with singed hair was lying down and there were bloody footprints.”

“He seemed to be in pain, irritated and suffering, but also angry as if he was resentful. I heard him saying something like ‘you copied it’,” said another neighbor.

The Asahi Shimbun newspaper quoted a 61-year-old neighbor as saying she clearly heard the man shout, “You ripped me off.”

Police have not questioned the suspect yet because he is injured and is being treated in the hospital. About 70 people have been reported to be in the hospital, with about 36 of them listed in critical condition.

KyoAni also produces films and graphic novels, and is reveled by fans for its production quality.