National News

Mystery behind Shinjuku inferno grows; arson considered possibility

An inspection of the gas pipes at a building in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo's busy entertainment district, where 44 people died in a Sept. 1 fire has ruled out the possibility the blaze was triggered by a gas explosion stemming from corroded pipes, Tokyo Gas Co. said Sept. 3.

"We have determined that the fire was not caused by gas leakage," the company said.

There were no cracks in the pipes or any other irregularities other than a gas meter that was found detached from a gas pipe.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and police suspect arson.

Meanwhile, sources close to the investigation said a mah-jongg game parlor on the third floor of the four-story building had been having trouble with gangsters.

Employees of Mah-jongg Ikkyu are being questioned by the Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion that the fire was deliberately set in connection with the trouble, the sources said.

The manager of the game parlor has admitted to storing large piles of scrap paper in the elevator foyer on the third floor, where the fire is thought to have started, police said. The third floor was the most heavily damaged area.

At around 1 a.m. Sept. 1, a blast tore through the building, setting the third floor ablaze and filling it with smoke. The smoke then spread to the fourth floor, killing 44 people and injuring three others

Shukan ST: Sept. 14, 2001

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