Newlyweds book private sauna room for 2 hours, unaware that everything was about to go terribly wrong

A husband and wife died after getting trapped in a private sauna room that caught fire at Sauna Tiger in Tokyo, Japan. Masanari Matsuda, 36, and his wife Yoko Matsuda, 37, were found unconscious near the room’s door. Police believe they could not escape the fire that started in their private room.

According to People, the couple had booked the room for two hours, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Police and firefighters got an alert around 12:25 PM after an emergency alarm went off at the facility in Tokyo’s Akasaka district. The fire was put out around 1:20 PM, leaving the sauna’s seating and backrest badly burned.

Masanari worked as a company manager, and Yoko was a nail artist. The couple lived in Kawasaki and had minor burns on their back and shoulders. They were taken to the hospital but died shortly after. When firefighters arrived, they found the doorknob to the private sauna completely detached on both sides, lying on the floor. This means the door failed right when the couple needed to escape. Police believe this mechanical failure trapped them inside the burning room.

The doorknob detached and left them trapped inside

The Metro Police Department confirmed that the emergency button inside the room had been pressed. This button connected directly to the front desk. The couple was found near the exit, showing they tried to get out but couldn’t because of the broken door. Newlywed relationships can face unexpected challenges, but this tragedy was beyond anyone’s control.

Police are investigating the incident, but the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. They are looking into both what started the fire and why the door failed at such a critical moment.

Sauna Tiger released a statement offering their “deepest apologies for the loss of precious lives.” The company said they are “fully cooperating” with authorities during the investigation. Unlike dangerous newlywed murder plots that make headlines, this appears to be a tragic accident involving equipment failure. The facility has been operating since 2022 and was last inspected in April 2023.

The operator has temporarily closed the facility. Sauna Tiger will remain closed “for the time being” and is giving refunds to all customers who made reservations. The company said their top priority is responding to the bereaved families.