Husband and wife d!e after being trapped in sauna fire

A couple in Japan have died after becoming trapped inside a private sauna room when a fire broke out at a spa facility in Tokyo. The victims were identified as Yoko Matsuda, a 37-year-old nail artist, and her husband, Masanari Matsuda, 36, who operated a beauty salon. The pair had booked a private sauna room at Sauna Tiger in Tokyos Akasaka district, according to local media reports. They were discovered collapsed on the floor of the sauna on Monday, with their heads positioned near the door. Both were rushed to hospital, where they were later pronounced dead. Police are investigating whether a faulty door handle may have prevented the couple from escaping the sauna as the fire spread. Investigators also disclosed that the saunas emergency alarm system was not operational. According to police, the alarm, which included an emergency button inside the room, had allegedly been switched off for around two years. A burnt towel was reportedly found inside the sauna, leading investigators to suspect the fire may have started after the towel came into contact with the hot sauna stones. Police further noted that the protective cover of the emergency alarm button had been removed, suggesting the couple repeatedly pressed it in an attempt to call for help. When staff were questioned about the alarm system, they stated it had not been switched on since around 2023, police said. The Minato Public Health Centre told The Asahi Shimbun that Sauna Tiger opened in July 2022 and was last inspected in April 2023, adding that no major deficiencies were found in the equipment at the time of inspection. In a statement published on its website, Sauna Tiger expressed condolences to the victims family. We offer our deepest condolences and our heartfelt sympathies for the deep grief and pain that cannot be expressed in words, the statement read. The facility said it was treating the incident very seriously and was cooperating fully with the investigations by the fire department. Sauna Tiger also announced it would be closed for the time being and said refunds would be issued to customers with existing reservations. The incident has renewed concerns over safety standards in private sauna facilities, which have surged in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities say the growth in demand has coincided with a rise in sauna-related accidents, prompting calls for stricter regulation. In a similar case in 2017, a mother and daughter were found dead in a sauna in Prague after a door handle reportedly broke off, trapping them inside for more than an hour as temperatures rose to fatal levels.The post Husband and wife d!e after being trapped in sauna fire appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.