A young married couple have tragically died in Tokyo after becoming trapped inside a private sauna room when a fire broke out, with a faulty door handle and a disabled alarm system preventing their escape.
The Fatal Incident in Akasaka
The victims have been named by Japanese media as Yoko Matsuda, 37, a nail artist, and her 36-year-old husband Masanari, who ran a beauty salon. The pair had booked a private room at the Sauna Tiger facility in the city's upscale Akasaka district.
They were discovered collapsed on the floor with their heads near the door on Monday, and later pronounced dead in hospital. Police investigating the scene found a burnt towel inside, leading them to believe the blaze may have started when the towel came into contact with the sauna's hot stones.
Multiple Safety Failures Revealed
The investigation has uncovered a series of alarming safety lapses. Police are examining whether a defective door handle contributed to the couple becoming trapped inside the room as the fire took hold.
More disturbingly, officers found that the facility's emergency alarm system, which included a call button inside the sauna room, was completely switched off. The cover of this button had been removed, indicating the desperate couple had repeatedly pushed it in a futile attempt to summon help.
When questioned by police, staff allegedly stated the alarm system had not been activated since around 2023. The Minato Public Health Centre confirmed the sauna opened in July 2022 and was last inspected in April 2023, at which time no major equipment deficiencies were found.
Industry Calls for Regulation After Similar Tragedies
In a statement on its website, Sauna Tiger offered its "deepest condolences" and "heartfelt sympathies" to the families. The company said it was taking the incident "very seriously," cooperating fully with fire department investigations. The facility is now closed indefinitely, with refunds offered to customers with bookings.
This tragedy highlights growing safety concerns as private sauna hire has surged in popularity globally since the Pandemic. It coincides with a rise in sauna-related incidents, prompting calls for stricter industry regulation.
In a chillingly similar case in 2017, a mother and daughter died in a sauna in Prague after the door handle fell off, trapping them inside for 90 minutes. They had unsuccessfully tried to break the door window to escape the extreme heat.
