SAITAMA (TR) – A body believed to be that of a female resident of an apartment in Tokorozawa City was found in a closet after a blaze in the unit was extinguished early Friday, reports TBS News (June 30).
At around 2:40 a.m., a male neighbor of the third-floor residence, located in the Shimoyasumatsu area, alerted emergency services about dark smoke coming from inside the unit.
A fire crew extinguished a blaze that had broken out inside about 40 minutes after arrival at the scene. The fire damaged 13 square meters of space inside the unit.
According to the Tokorozawa Police Station, Masahi Ozumi, a 64-year-old resident, managed to flee the building safely after the fire started. However, a body likely belonging to a woman was found in a closet.
Police suspect the body is that of a 49-year-old woman who lives in the residence with Ozumi. She has been missing since the start of the fire.
The body is also scheduled to undergo an autopsy, according to the Saitama Shimbun (June 30). As well, the cause of the fire is under investigation, police said.
