Investigators suspect a broken door trapped Masanari Matsuda, 36, and his wife Yoko, 37, during the fatal fire at Saunatiger sauna in Tokyo's Akasaka district. The emergency button was pressed but its receiver was powered off, along with the fire alarm panel.
Following the fire on Monday at the private sauna shop Saunatiger in Tokyo's Akasaka district, Minato Ward—which killed two customers as initially reported—new details have emerged from the investigation.
The victims were identified as Masanari Matsuda, 36, owner of a beauty salon in Kawasaki, and his wife Yoko, 37, a nail technician. They had reserved a private sauna room.
Investigative sources indicate the sauna room lacked inner and outer doorknobs; L-shaped handles were found on the floor inside and outside, suggesting the couple was trapped. The fire damaged the backrest and seating area.
The emergency button inside showed signs of being pressed, with its cover broken. However, during Tuesday's inspection, the receiver in the office was powered off, and the fire alarm control panel was also off, potentially disabling alarms across all units.
Tokyo police and fire authorities continue probing the cause, possibly a sauna heater malfunction, with Wednesday inspections focusing on management and emergency systems. The case underscores safety risks in private sauna facilities.