A tragic incident in Tokyo has claimed the lives of a young couple, highlighting severe safety lapses in a popular wellness facility. A husband and wife died after becoming trapped inside a private sauna room when a fire broke out.
Details of the Fatal Incident
The victims have been identified as 37-year-old nail artist Yoko Matsuda and her 36-year-old husband, Masanari Matsuda, who operated a beauty salon. The pair had booked a private room at the Sauna Tiger facility in Tokyo's Akasaka district.
They were discovered collapsed on the sauna floor on Monday, with their heads near the door. Despite being rushed to a hospital, both were later pronounced dead.
Investigation Uncovers Critical Failures
Police are investigating whether a faulty door handle prevented the couple from escaping the spreading fire. In a shocking revelation, investigators disclosed that the sauna's emergency alarm system was not operational.
The alarm, which included an emergency button inside the room, had allegedly been switched off for around two years. "When staff were questioned about the alarm system, they stated it had not been switched on since around 2023," police confirmed.
Evidence suggests the couple tried desperately to call for help. The protective cover of the emergency alarm button had been removed, indicating they repeatedly pressed it. A burnt towel found inside has led investigators to suspect the fire started when the towel made contact with the hot sauna stones.
Aftermath and Broader Safety Concerns
The Minato Public Health Centre stated that Sauna Tiger opened in July 2022 and was last inspected in April 2023, with no major equipment deficiencies found at the time.
In a statement on its website, Sauna Tiger expressed its deepest condolences and said it was cooperating fully with the fire department's investigation. The facility announced it would be closed for the time being and would issue refunds for existing reservations.
This tragedy has renewed urgent concerns over safety standards in private sauna facilities, whose popularity has surged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities note that rising demand has coincided with an increase in sauna-related accidents, prompting calls for stricter regulation.
This case chillingly echoes a 2017 incident in Prague, where a mother and daughter died in a sauna after a door handle broke off, trapping them inside as temperatures rose to fatal levels for over an hour.
