Husband and wife die after being trapped in a burning sauna room

Emergency system malfunctioning

A husband and his wife were found dead after being trapped inside a sauna room that caught fire in Tokyo, Japan.

Tokyo police investigated whether the faulty door handle was behind the couple being trapped inside the sauna room in the Akasaka area, according to local media.

Investigators discovered that the facility’s alarm system had been turned off for nearly two years.

The sauna management confirmed in a statement on its website: "We extend our deepest condolences… and our profound sympathy for the grief and pain that cannot be described in words."

Local media reported the victims’ names: Yuko Matsuda, a 37-year-old nail artist, and her husband Masanari, 36, who runs a beauty salon.

Fire teams were called around 12:25 p.m. local time (03:25 GMT) when the fire alarm went off.

Upon arrival, they found the door handle on the floor, according to police investigations.

The couple was found exhausted on the floor, lying on top of each other, with their heads near the door, and were immediately transported to the hospital, but they later died.

Investigators noted the discovery of a burnt towel inside the room, which may indicate that the fire started when the towel touched the sauna’s hot stones.

The sauna room was equipped with a wall-mounted emergency alarm to call for help, but investigations showed it was turned off, and the alarm cover had been removed, suggesting the couple tried to use it, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.

When asked, staff claimed the alarm had not been operational since around 2023.

The Minato Public Health Center reported that the sauna room began operating in July 2022, with the last inspection in April 2023, during which "no major equipment faults were detected."

Sauna usage has become increasingly popular in Japan, with more private rooms being added, but similar incidents are also rising, prompting calls to tighten regulations for these facilities.

The sauna management confirmed it is taking the incident seriously and fully cooperating with fire department investigations, adding that the facility will remain temporarily closed, with financial compensation offered to customers with existing reservations.