4 killed, 8 injured in fire at Saitama sex service parlor

I guess they won't be releasing the names of any of the victims out of respect to the families. Not one of the best places to have been found dead in.

Explain that one to your wife

I have some experience of this type of situation.

A terrible way to meet your maker and very traumatic for the firefighters to retrieve the bodies. Let's not forget about them too.

"sex service parlor"? Who writes this stuff? How about "brothel"?

Wow! 2pm on a Sunday afternoon and the place was rocking with customers. Must have been a nice little money spinner for owner.

The parlor had no problems with its fire protection facilities when Saitama city's fire department conducted an on-site inspection 

It would seem the above statement is not true with so many people being trapped, overcome by smoke and killed. Let's hope the fire was accidental and not another case of brothel arson.

"sex service parlor"? Who writes this stuff? How about "brothel"?

It seems as if you are not familiar with Japan's rule of form over substance. Sex service and sex are two different things. The latter indicates that intercourse occurs, which is illegal in Japan. The former indicates everything but intercourse, which is legal in Japan.

Labeling this establishment a "brothel" would be too on the nose for Japan as it would remove the facade that intercourse was not taking place.

Soaplands and massage parlors are brothel-like but there are so many loopholes in the law they aren't what was be considered a house of prostitution in the US. Unless it was truly illegal of course.

Not a happy ending at all, Body retrieval is a very upsetting thing to be involved in and stays with you for a long time. The fire code might need a review after this.

Any idea what started the fire? Some kind of friction?

@Bungle

Nice one mate.

A little bordello...more so with fire ;)

@ Tom Jones "form over substance"

Nicely put mate.

Terrible thing, as with any fire. Many of the places I have gone to, from hostess bar up to soap, have given me concern when the establishment is buried deep within a building... And I like to think paying attention is enough. No matter what your wits are, though, a fire-trap is something to watch out for and there is only so much you can do. Sometimes you have to turn around and leave. There are few perfect situations, but it sounds like this place was mostly compliant with the local codes and not entirely under the radar. A horrible thing for anyone involved, whatever went wrong.

Kobe: Appreciated. You've obviously been here long enough to recognize the truth in that statement.

not entirely under the radar. 

The sign that's as large as a car onthe side of the building supports this statement.

Wow! 2pm on a Sunday afternoon and the place was rocking with customers.

you bet me to it, my first reaction.

it is winter and i love sentos and onsens. but i have a fear of fires in ones that are above the first floor. i fear running out into the snow naked down a cold fire escape, confronted by flashing red lights and a couple of hundred curious bystanders.

@Tommy, Yup kind of like the reverse of - actions speak louder than words.

Not a happy ending at all,

Any idea what started the fire? Some kind of friction?

Hot action

Sundays are very busy days for Soaplands.  might be that the male victims were single - no spouses to upset?  Place looks like a dump from the outside.  wouldn't be surprising if it were a bit outdated and cramped inside.  Narrow corridors and stuff left lying around a recipe for disaster.

The Myojo 56 building fire back in 2001 in Shinjuku killed 44 people. Adult entertainment building. The usual links to organised crime, favourable building reports from the fire department despite blocked fire doors and stairwells, victims trapped and unable to get out. Looks like nothing was learned from that incident.

Looks like nothing was learned from that incident.

Not necessarily. Not enough information in this article to draw that conclusion.

They mentioned on tv this morning, that at the right hand side of the KAWAII sign, there is an exit, presumably an emergency exit. For some reason, the steel stairway that led from the door to ground level has been removed at some point in time. The emergency services had to cut through this door with a power saw in order to gain access. Some people might have been able to get to safety using this exit.

Condolences