During a fireworks festival at Okura Beach in Akashi, Hyōgo, Japan, thousands of spectators flocked to the area to witness the annual display. As the fireworks concluded, attendees began to leave the beach and head toward the pedestrian footbridge that connected the event site to JR Asagiri Station. The narrow footbridge quickly became overcrowded, as many people attempted to exit simultaneously. The situation escalated into a dangerous bottleneck, which caused a chain reaction when some individuals lost their footing and fell. This domino effect led to a massive pile-up of people as they tumbled over one another in panic. Tragically, this incident resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals and injuries to more than 120 others, with various levels of severity among the injured.Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to the scene to assist the injured and manage the chaos. Eyewitness accounts detailed scenes of despair as spectators tried to help each other while waiting for medical personnel. The event raised urgent concerns over safety protocols, crowd control, and infrastructure at public gatherings, emphasizing the critical importance of planning in situations involving large crowds, especially at celebratory events. Following the disaster, calls for improved safety measures and better crowd management practices at similar events grew louder among communities and officials alike.