Playback ’94] “The Matsumoto Sarin Incident” – Everything is a Mystery… The “White Fog of Death” that Struck a Residential Area on a Hot and Humid Night
What did “FRIDAY” report 10, 20, or 30 years ago? In “Playback Friday,” we take a look back at the topics that were hot at the time. This time, we bring you the article “Fear in a Residential Area in Matsumoto: ‘White Fog Killed Seven People’ – That’s How Poison Gas Was Made” from the July 15, 1994 issue, 30 years ago.
The “Matsumoto Sarin Incident,” which occurred late at night on June 27, 1994, shook the nation as a white mist of toxic gas was released in a residential area, killing many people. At the time this article was published, the identity of this “white mist” had not yet been determined (descriptions in parentheses below are taken from past articles).
What made the difference between life and death: ……
On June 22, it was the hottest day of the year in Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, with temperatures exceeding 30°C during the day. Even at night, it was still hot and humid with 95% humidity, and many citizens opened their windows to cool off. This very natural act made the difference between life and death.
Around 1:00 a.m., I had a severe cough, sneezing, and a headache that lasted about an hour, so I had no choice but to go to bed. I think the only reason I survived was because I thought I had caught a cold and kept the windows closed so as not to aggravate the situation,” said an office worker who lived in the apartment building where the three fatalities occurred.
Seven (later eight) people were killed and about 140 injured by the white mist of toxic gas that was released in a residential area. The two apartments where the six deaths occurred did not use gas, and the victims showed symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, and pupil constriction. This led to the belief that the poisonous organophosphorus gas used in pesticides and other products may have originated outdoors and flowed into the rooms.
But where did the gas originate? And why did it occur? The case, which had been a complete mystery, took a sharp turn less than 24 hours after the outbreak.
From the night of the 28th to the following day, the Nagano Prefectural Police raided the home of Mr. A, the company employee who was the first to report the accident, and confiscated 17 to 18 kinds of chemicals. The authorities are now increasingly convinced that the toxic gas may have been released while Mr. A was making herbicides in his yard.
