According to a report by Kyodo News on September 7 local time, a fire broke out in a cake shop in Shinshu Prefecture, Gifu City around 9 p.m. on the 5th. Two bodies, a man and a woman, were found at the scene of the fire. Additionally, three people were taken to the hospital, one of whom died.
The police in Gifu Prefecture said that they received a 110 alarm call at the time of the fire, reporting that "someone had been stabbed and gasoline was spilled, causing the fire." The police conducted an investigation at the scene and launched a probe under charges of homicide and arson of a residential building.
The cake shop where the fire occurred, Kyodo News
According to reports, the man who died after being taken to the hospital was a 70-year-old man who worked in the funeral industry from Sefu City, Gifu Prefecture. According to investigators, based on the testimony of the survivors and other circumstances, it is currently believed that this man may be involved in the case. The police conducted a search of his residence on the 6th.
On the 7th, investigators said that the man was found sitting in the driver’s seat of a car in the parking lot of a bakery.
The forensic examination revealed that the man found in the ruins died from blood loss caused by a stab wound to the abdomen, and the woman died of acute carbon monoxide poisoning. The bakery was closed at the time of the fire, and the 66-year-old female owner and 10 acquaintances were gathering inside the store.
The police believe that the two deceased may be acquaintances who are currently missing. The remaining persons who were taken to the hospital are the shop owner and another 65-year-old man.
According to Xingdao Headline, someone from the bakery revealed that the owner was gathering with former classmates from high school. The man who died after being taken to the hospital was Lin Kuanzhi, a senior executive of the funeral services company. Police initially believe that there was a serious conflict among the people gathered in the store, and Lin Kuanzhi is suspected of using a knife to attack others and setting fire by pouring gasoline.
According to Kyodo News, the building involved was a two-story store and residence. The area affected by the fire was approximately 300 square meters. The roof collapsed, leaving the framework exposed, and the windows on the second floor were broken. During the on-site inspection on June 6th, police wearing helmets investigated the area near the entrance of the store and the fire-affected area on the second floor.
According to the store’s official website, the store will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2026. Nearby residents say that after business hours, female employees and their middle school classmates often gather here to play mahjong or sing karaoke. The incident occurred in an area with residential houses and farmland.
