A terrifying school fire in Tokyo sent eight students and three teachers to the hospital after smoke and flames tore through an elementary school while hundreds of children were inside.

The frightening blaze broke out around 11 a.m. local time on Friday, June 19, at Takinogawa No. 3 Elementary School in Tokyo, Japan. About 350 students and staff members were inside the building when the fire erupted.

According to reports, the first warning came when students in a fourth-floor music room smelled something burning. Moments later, thick smoke began pouring from the building.

A chilling call to the fire department reportedly warned: “Smoke from the music room on the 4th floor!”

That set off a massive emergency response. Fire officials rushed 75 fire trucks and other emergency vehicles to the scene as smoke billowed from the school.

The fire was not quickly contained. It reportedly took crews about three hours to put out the blaze, which burned through roughly 2,000 square feet of the building.

The cause remains under investigation. Authorities are reportedly looking into whether a stove may have sparked the fire, but no official cause has been confirmed.

Terrifying footage showed children evacuating to the rooftop and balconies as fire crews used ladder trucks to rescue them from the burning school. One child reportedly broke a bone after falling during the evacuation.

The eight students and three teachers who were hospitalized reportedly said they felt unwell after the ordeal.

Witnesses described a scene of panic and fear outside the school.

One woman said she was stunned when she saw flames shooting from a window and black smoke rising into the sky. She said children were crying in the schoolyard as sirens blared, adding that she initially thought it was just a fire drill.

One third-grade student later described the fire as “scary,” saying the loud noises and smoke made the situation even more frightening.

Parents praised teachers for helping protect the children during the emergency.

No deaths have been reported, but the shocking fire left families shaken and several students and staff members recovering after a terrifying day at school.