NAGANO (TR) – Nagano Prefectural Police have launched an investigation after a fire at a residence in Nagano City left two persons dead and two seriously injured, including a 41-year-old woman who lodged a complaint about a stalker last year, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Feb. 5).
At around 10:10 a.m., two corpses were found in the ruins of the two-floor residence belonging to 57-year-old Shoichi Kitamura. Though the identities of the bodies are not known, it is believed that one belongs to Kitamura since he is missing, according to the Nagano Chuo Police Station.
Kimura’s wife, a 41-year-old Filipino national, suffered burns to her entire body in the blaze. As well, the mother of Kitamura, 85, was slightly injured.
According to police, Kitamura shares the residence with his wife and mother. The second body is believed to belong to a person from outside the family.
Just prior to the outbreak of the fire, police received a distress call from a person at the residence. A neighbor tells Fuji News Network (Feb.5), that a suspicious person with a vehicle with a license plate from Yamanashi Prefecture was spotted near the residence.
In December, Kitamura’s wife lodged a complaint with police about a stalker. Police are investigating whether the fire is connected to the complaint.
