Tokyo Metropolitan Fire Department trucks pull to the front of the DFAS Japan office on Yokota Tuesday night. Japanese and American firefighters working in shifts, battled the massive blaze throughout the night. (Bryce S. Dubee / S&S)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — More than 100 original documents containing customer and support vendor information were lost in the fire that destroyed the Defense Finance and Accounting Service Japan building last week and will have to be resubmitted, officials said Friday.
Tom LaRock, the DFAS deputy director of corporate communications based out of Virginia, said all other critical records and paperwork — including checks, treasury bonds and classified material — were in a fireproof vault and salvaged by officials.
"Contingency plans have been activated and Service customers have been contacted," he said in an e-mail to Stars and Stripes. "We expect minimal disruption to their operations." All documents required for accounts payable processing may be retrieved electronically, LaRock added.
The DFAS Japan facility, one of two on base, was empty when the blaze broke out at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. About 115 people worked in the one-story building, across the street from Yokota’s flight line. No one was hurt.
It took firefighters two days to extinguish all the hot spots and embers in the rubble, base officials said. Overall damage was estimated at $13.5 million.
"We are extremely happy that there were no injuries resulting from the fire," said Lt. Col. Barry Eddins, the DFAS Japan site director. "We appreciate the overwhelming support offered by the Yokota community and our customers. We also appreciate the cooperation of the neighboring Japanese firefighters who responded to the fire from off base. Rebuilding of our capability … is a top priority."
Yokota officials still don’t know what caused the fire but are investigating, said 1st Lt. Tania Bryan, a 374th Airlift Wing spokeswoman. LaRock said the staff has been partially relocated to Building 104, the other DFAS Japan office. The wing also has identified some replacement space on base, he added.
DFAS Japan prepares payments for all U.S. forces in the Western Pacific. It provides finance and accounting services to more than 200 Department of Defense agencies in the region.
Each month, the agency processes more than $100 million in total disbursements, 5,000 invoices to include transportation bills and $70 million in yen payments to foreign vendors, according to LaRock.
