"Trapped Due to Broken Door Handle"... Fire at Japanese Sauna Claims Lives of Couple in Their 30s

[Financial News] A fire broke out at an upscale membership-based sauna in Tokyo, resulting in the deaths of a couple in their 30s. Authorities believe they were unable to escape because the sauna room's door handle was broken.
According to The Asahi Shimbun and other local media on the 17th, a fire erupted on the 15th in a private sauna room in the Akasaka district of Minato City, Tokyo. Masaya Matsuda (36) and his wife Yoko Matsuda (37) were found unconscious and were rushed to a nearby hospital, but ultimately did not survive.
Police investigations revealed that the couple had reserved the facility for two hours starting at 11 a.m. on the day of the incident. About an hour after entering, around noon, the fire broke out. When a smoke detector outside the sauna was triggered, a staff member notified the fire department.
Firefighters arriving at the scene found the couple collapsed near the sauna entrance, embracing each other. Both were reportedly unclothed at the time and had sustained minor burns on their shoulders and backs.
The fire is believed to have started when a towel placed on the heating device inside the sauna caught fire, which then spread to the wooden bench and walls. In fact, parts of the wooden bench and wall, located away from the heating device, were found to be severely scorched.
Police suspect the couple became trapped inside the sauna room due to a malfunctioning door handle. Firefighters at the scene explained that the sauna door handle had detached from both the inside and outside, and was found lying on the floor.
Further investigation revealed that the emergency button connecting the sauna room to the front desk was turned off. Employees told police that the device had not been powered on since around 2023. Police believe the failure to activate the emergency alarm system had become a routine practice.
The sauna operator issued a statement announcing a temporary suspension of business. The company stated, "We take this incident very seriously and deeply apologize for the loss of precious lives. We will cooperate fully with authorities to thoroughly investigate the cause and do our utmost to prevent a recurrence."

hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter