Japan - Miyazawa family of 4 murdered, Setagaya, Tokyo, 30 Dec 2000 #4

[Eliver]

I thought that maybe if the killer left closer to dawn, so the blood was still thin, or perhaps he was bleeding. Then Haruko when she came in the morning could have stepped into the blood. It looks like a small shoe. It appears somewhere mid-way, so maybe this is where she stepped into that pool.
Could it have been that he left closer to Haruko coming in?

Or, could he have left between Haruko buzzing, then coming back to retrieve the keys and returning back? It could explain the discrepancy between the fact that the first time she came, the door was locked (killer inside) and the second one, open (opened the door and got out). If she entered the house and saw/smelled it, she could have kept the shoes on.

I think you are misunderstanding the house layout though.

I highly doubt it's Haruko's: the picture of the alleged sock footprint Incoherent posted is at the second floor. Even ignoring the grim possibility that Haruko jumped over Mikio's body, the one sock footprint would really be the only trace she would leave?

We also have a picture of the entrance and there are no other footprints like that (and also, in the documentary you can see shoes' footprints going TOWARDS the front door, while there are no traces going inside the house FROM the front door.)

 

[Eliver]

If we go with the theory that the killer managed to break in, kill Rei, sneak all the way down the staircase without being detected by anyone, and then ambush Mikio, then it would make more sense the killer did take his shoes off at some point right? How quiet could one be walking around in a wooden house in clunky tennis shoes committing murder?

What bothers me is the immediate shoe prints after the sock print. I would need to look carefully at the documentary again to see if a another angle was photographed with a sock print, but I’m unsure where and when the killer would have put his shoes back on again to make it so the prints are like that.

If it isn’t Yasuko’s print we would then need to find reason why she brought Niina down the ladder if she didn’t need to retrieve something like medical supplies from downstairs. I don’t think she would have gone down unless she absolutely had to considering the state they were both in. So it makes sense to me she went to retrieve them from the cabinet.

I see where you're coming from.
To me, the fact Yasuko went down at all was always seen as a desperate attempt of escape. Between calling for help and looking for medical supplies, I always leaned towards the possibility she was going for it and calling for help.

But then again what do I know? The horror and shock of the moment it's unfathomable to imagine, let alone witness first-hand.
It's impossible to imagine how one's mind can react, especially if you're trying to save a loved one.

 

[Incoherent]

I think you are misunderstanding the house layout though.

I highly doubt it's Haruko's: the picture of the alleged sock footprint Incoherent posted is at the second floor. Even ignoring the grim possibility that Haruko jumped over Mikio's body, the one sock footprint would really be the only trace she would leave?

We also have a picture of the entrance and there are no other footprints like that (and also, in the documentary you can see shoes' footprints going TOWARDS the front door, while there are no traces going inside the house FROM the front door.)

Sadly, Haruko did step over Mikio’s body and went upstairs. She also touched the bodies of Yasuko and Niina and returned to the Irie house with blood on her face. It’s written in An’s book that I’m currently working my way through.

Haruko would have also highly likely taken her shoes off at the genkan and gone inside in her socks, but I also don’t think the print is hers. It seems to be already dried and in place by the time the police photographed it. So it is either the killer’s or Yasuko’s. MOO.

 

[Eliver]

Sadly, Haruko did step over Mikio’s body and went upstairs. She also touched the bodies of Yasuko and Niina and returned to the Irie house with blood on her face. It’s written in An’s book that I’m currently working my way through.

Haruko would have also highly likely taken her shoes off at the genkan and gone inside in her socks, but I also don’t think the print is hers. It seems to be already dried and in place by the time the police photographed it. So it is either the killer’s or Yasuko’s. MOO.

I see, my bad then.
This detail saddens me even more.

Anyway I still stand by my opinion that it is not Haruko's, yes.

 

[Incoherent]

I see, my bad then.
This detail saddens me even more.

Anyway I still stand by my opinion that it is not Haruko's, yes.

Furthermore, An also went inside the house and made her way upstairs. She describes Niina lying on the floor wearing yellow. Her husband also entered the house but he yelled at their teenage son who also followed them in to get out, so they all left and went back next door before her husband called 110.

Just to add on here, in the phone call that’s played in the documentary of the husband calling the police they do ask him multiple times if the front door was locked or not. He says he didn’t open it so he doesn’t know, and when he attempts to ask Haruko he says he can’t as they are all too distraught to answer or talk. So although it was recently reported in the news that the front door was found locked I’m unsure where the testimony and definitive answer for this came from.

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

It was definitely saddening to me to see and learn how the killer ambushed both Mikio at the bottom of the stairs and then Yasuko and Niina by jumping over them while they were bed. Even though they did fight back and resist as hard as they could, I could still empathize with a sense of helplessness as they had little space to maneuver away or were pinned to the bed and thus were essentially trapped by their vicious killer.

Also, just the thought tha this killer just breaks in and commits such violence the familymostly asleep or in Mikio’s case, peacefully winding for the night while not bothering anyone as they laid comfy and cozy at home is disturbing. This family was in a state of peace that night and completely vulnerable to the killer and his knife yet ad he escalated the violence of the attacks he reacted as though they offended or insulted him. Or as though it was his house and entitled to their person, safety and lives.

Thinking too more about the possibility that the crime was committed due to the perp wanting to burglarize the Miyazawa’s house, I can’t help but wonder if that was the case why not wait at least one more hour or until everyone is in the house. My impression from the video that neither Mikio or Yasuko and Niina overheard or were aware of the preceding attacks. It seems possible that perhaps the perp could have broken in, rifled through their stuff, steal whatever it was he was searching for and then leave without disturbing or waking up anyone, especially if he kept most, if not all, the lights off. Even if someone did wake up, he probably could have immediately ducked or hid somewhere or fled, preferably through the front door if the front light is off, without any injuries, wearing any suspicious soiled clothes or being slowed down by running and slipping down the stairs because there wouldn’t be any blood anywhere. He wouldn’t have had to attack or kill anyone.

This does make me agree more with the theory that the murders were likely targeted, especially since I don’t fully understand why he had to go upstairs to awaken and attack and murder Yasuko and Niina? From the documentary, it does not seem like they were aware of Mikio’s tragic assault and murder. Would they have been able to sleep through the perp going about and seemingly burglarizing or vandalizing the rest of the house, particularly if perp was as quiet as he walked about the house or dimmed or turned the lights off? Did he even consider that option or was he so determined to cruelly take the lives of everyone in that family.

I also can’t imagine what type of person can just sleep in very house where they just committed atrocious murder of an entire family and the very proof and evidence is just lying their with them?

I also can’t imagine that just because the perp changed his clothes the smell of blood and other fluids still cling to him? Also, if he did return home or to some residence and he shared it with someone whom he then interacted with upon returning, I can’t imagine they didn’t notice smell or how strong it was?

RIP to the Miyazawa family I hope the perp is caught so that you and your loved ones get the justice and answers you deserve and can finally hold him accountable.

 

[Charlot123]

I think you are misunderstanding the house layout though.

I highly doubt it's Haruko's: the picture of the alleged sock footprint Incoherent posted is at the second floor. Even ignoring the grim possibility that Haruko jumped over Mikio's body, the one sock footprint would really be the only trace she would leave?

We also have a picture of the entrance and there are no other footprints like that (and also, in the documentary you can see shoes' footprints going TOWARDS the front door, while there are no traces going inside the house FROM the front door.)

Thank you!

No, I can’t imagine how the house looked from the inside. The police made a 3D print, which probably would work best for people who have been inside the house. Looking at the photos, I still see a “plan”. Because there was no translation, I saw the footsteps but thought they were leading to the front door? (Where is the door, btw? I read that Haruko entered and saw Mikio’s body, but the body was on the stairs, so, Rey’s floor?)

I also can’t imagine (because most photos include the house from one side, with M’s on the R), was the Miyazawa’s house standing on an uneven land if you look from the front and the back?

Adding to my confusion, in earlier articles they mentioned “military walk” but tied it to Rey’s room, or maybe I understood it so because they said, people in army barracks walk so between the beds, so I immediately imagined a bed. And now am I right in understanding that the footprints are on Rey’s floor, leading from the stairs to… where?

 

[Eliver]

It was definitely saddening to me to see and learn how the killer ambushed both Mikio at the bottom of the stairs and then Yasuko and Niina by jumping over them while they were bed. Even though they did fight back and resist as hard as they could, I could still empathize with a sense of helplessness as they had little space to maneuver away or were pinned to the bed and thus were essentially trapped by their vicious killer.

Also, just the thought tha this killer just breaks in and commits such violence the familymostly asleep or in Mikio’s case, peacefully winding for the night while not bothering anyone as they laid comfy and cozy at home is disturbing. This family was in a state of peace that night and completely vulnerable to the killer and his knife yet ad he escalated the violence of the attacks he reacted as though they offended or insulted him. Or as though it was his house and entitled to their person, safety and lives.

Thinking too more about the possibility that the crime was committed due to the perp wanting to burglarize the Miyazawa’s house, I can’t help but wonder if that was the case why not wait at least one more hour or until everyone is in the house. My impression from the video is that soundproofing meant that neither Mikio or Yasuko and Niina heard the preceding attacks. It seems possible that perhaps the perp could have broken in, rifled through their stuff, steal whatever it was he was searching for and then leave without disturbing or waking up anyone, especially if he kept most, if not all, the lights off. Even if someone did wake up, he probably could have immediately ducked or hid somewhere or fled, preferably through the front door if the front light is off, without any injuries, wearing any suspicious soiled clothes or being slowed down by running and slipping down the stairs because there wouldn’t be any blood anywhere. He wouldn’t have had to attack or kill anyone.

This does make me agree more with the theory that the murders were likely targeted, especially since I don’t fully understand why he had to go upstairs to awaken and attack and murder Yasuko and Niina? From the documentary, it does not seem like they were aware of Mikio’s tragic assault and murder. Would they have been able to sleep through the perp going about and seemingly burglarizing or vandalizing the rest of the house, particularly if perp was as quiet as he walked about the house or dimmed or turned the lights off? Did he even consider that option or was he so determined to cruelly take the lives of everyone in that family.

RIP to the Miyazawa family I hope the perp is caught so that you and your loved ones get the justice and answers you deserve and can finally hold him accountable.

Absolutely @AppleTreeGreen, I'm with you there: in my opinion they were targeted and he was adamant about killing all of them.

Only one detail: the soundproofing was not for within the house, but between the Miyazawa's and the neighboring relatives (Haruko, An, etc.)

 

[Eliver]

Thank you!

No, I can’t imagine how the house looked from the inside. The police made a 3D print, which probably would work best for people who have been inside the house. Looking at the photos, I still see a “plan”. Because there was no translation, I saw the footsteps but thought they were leading to the front door? (Where is the door, btw? I read that Haruko entered and saw Mikio’s body, but the body was on the stairs, so, Rey’s floor?)

I also can’t imagine (because most photos include the house from one side, with M’s on the R), was the Miyazawa’s house standing on an uneven land if you look from the front and the back?

Adding to my confusion, in earlier articles they mentioned “military walk” but tied it to Rey’s room, or maybe I understood it so because they said, people in army barracks walk so between the beds, so I immediately imagined a bed. And now am I right in understanding that the footprints are on Rey’s floor, leading from the stairs to… where?

I will try my best to summarize all the points but again: I think there is a lot of confusion here as per the house layout.

Let me start from the bottom of your post: I read about this "military walk" thing and to this day I don't know where this comes from. The killer made a mess and you can clearly see that he did not use any strategy as to how he went around the house nor traces that confirms that he walked in such a fashion so to hide his steps. The only thing we have are bloody footprints all over the house.
My opinion is: the military walk theory came out of nowhere and up until now no source has been provided about it.

About the other questions: no, Mikio was not at Rei's floor, nor on the stairs.
He was at the bottom of the stairs at the first floor, at the end of the only room at the first floor. A couple of threads ago Nic posted a picture of the entrance/room I'm talking about and you can see the footprints going towards the door.

About seeing a "plan", I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean there.

Same for the "uneven land" comment. Can you clarify?

 

[Janitor101]

Here is the sneaker in question for reference since it’s under discussion:
View attachment 555581

So we can highly likely say the previously circled print that was shown in the hallway to the kitchen was not from the shoe and is a sock print instead.

In the recreation it shows the killer taking medical supplies from the cabinet in the living room so perhaps this sock print could have been Yasuko attempting to go and retrieve the supplies after descending the loft ladder, but realising the killer was in the kitchen and then turns back around again. The killer then follows and kills Yasuko and Niina on the landing. It looks a lot smaller than the shoe size the killer had and otherwise would mean the killer’s shoes were off at some point.

 

[Janitor101]

Just adding to the confusion over the sock/shoeprints displayed in the photo. If these were Yasuko's prints, wouldn't she have been suffering from blood loss at this point due to the attack in the loft? It would seem evidence markers would have been placed next to any blood droplets found along the hallway.

I agree with everyone's thoughts that these were sock prints vs. shoeprints.

Is that the killer's glove on the hallway floor?

 

[DianeElaine]

I’ve been following this thread (among many others) for years. To this day, it is the one that makes my stomach do a “flip” every time it pops up. Horrific hardly describes what this family endured while being murdered. The perp is in a class by himself.

 

[Charlot123]

I will try my best to summarize all the points but again: I think there is a lot of confusion here as per the house layout.

Let me start from the bottom of your post: I read about this "military walk" thing and to this day I don't know where this comes from. The killer made a mess and you can clearly see that he did not use any strategy as to how he went around the house nor traces that confirms that he walked in such a fashion so to hide his steps. The only thing we have are bloody footprints all over the house.
My opinion is: the military walk theory came out of nowhere and up until now no source has been provided about it.

About the other questions: no, Mikio was not at Rei's floor, nor on the stairs.
He was at the bottom of the stairs at the first floor, at the end of the only room at the first floor. A couple of threads ago Nic posted a picture of the entrance/room I'm talking about and you can see the footprints going towards the door.

About seeing a "plan", I'm sorry but I'm not sure what you mean there.

Same for the "uneven land" comment. Can you clarify?

Conclusion: OK. So, forget military walk. It was Japanese idea.

About the rest. Can you, please, post the link to Nic's post about the picture of the entrance/room? So many things happen around, I should read posts here more diligently.

About the rest. I can read plans or maps but i can't use them for travels unless I draw the road. Poor visual imagination. For me, invention of Google maps was of utmost help.

About the land. Where I live, the landscape is hilly, so the foundation has to compensate for it. It would look like a right trapezoid, to compensate for uneven relief. In some houses, that creates sort of a half-basement underneath the house, it is too low on one side but half of the area underneath the house could be used for extra room or storage. Was it like this in M's house? in other words, was his computer in a semi-basement, or was it strictly on the first/ground floor, and the relief of the land was straight? If the relief is straight: one would enter and see his computer, then one'd get up the stairs and there is Rei's room is on the second floor (the second floor must have been high up as the guy had to climb to it)? Am i right?

But they say now that Mikio was attacked unaware, does it mean that the perp was waiting for Mikio on Rei's floor, and Mikio was getting up, or did the killer quietly go downstairs and wait behind the stairs from Mikio's room to the second floor?

There should be several stairs in the house, right? From the ground/first floor to the second floor (I assume Rei's room is there) then stairs to the mezzanine? And where did a direct retractable stairs to the loft start, on Rei's floor or the mezzanine?

Maybe all my misunderstanding comes from the fact that what they call "loft" was the attic space converted into a bedroom? Not initially meant for it, so the stairs had to be retractable as there was no place on the mezzanine floor to build one more full set of stairs? Then I can probably better understand how it all looked.

 

[WhoDisDoe]

Conclusion: OK. So, forget military walk. It was Japanese idea.

About the rest. Can you, please, post the link to Nic's post about the picture of the entrance/room? So many things happen around, I should read posts here more diligently.

About the rest. I can read plans or maps but i can't use them for travels unless I draw the road. Poor visual imagination. For me, invention of Google maps was of utmost help.

About the land. Where I live, the landscape is hilly, so the foundation has to compensate for it. It would look like a right trapezoid, to compensate for uneven relief. In some houses, that creates sort of a half-basement underneath the house, it is too low on one side but half of the area underneath the house could be used for extra room or storage. Was it like this in M's house? in other words, was his computer in a semi-basement, or was it strictly on the first/ground floor, and the relief of the land was straight? If the relief is straight: one would enter and see his computer, then one'd get up the stairs and there is Rei's room is on the second floor (the second floor must have been high up as the guy had to climb to it)? Am i right?

But they say now that Mikio was attacked unaware, does it mean that the perp was waiting for Mikio on Rei's floor, and Mikio was getting up, or did the killer quietly go downstairs and wait behind the stairs from Mikio's room to the second floor?

There should be several stairs in the house, right? From the ground/first floor to the second floor (I assume Rei's room is there) then stairs to the mezzanine? And where did a direct retractable stairs to the loft start, on Rei's floor or the mezzanine?

Maybe all my misunderstanding comes from the fact that what they call "loft" was the attic space converted into a bedroom? Not initially meant for it, so the stairs had to be retractable as there was no place on the mezzanine floor to build one more full set of stairs? Then I can probably better understand how it all looked.

I’ve also found the layout of the house confusing. Fortunately there are some resources that really help, listing a couple below.

Walkthrough of the house a few years ago (from a press event with An Irie):

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. Unfortunately the cameraman doesn’t go up the retractable stairs to the loft, so you can’t see that. There’s a 3D reconstruction available on TikTok which you can find if interested.

(Translated) blueprint of the house (source: What We Really Know About the Setagaya Family Murder?):

Addressing a few of your questions:

As far as I can tell from photos, the home is on fairly level land.

The “loft” is indeed more like an attic IMO. It’s an enclosed room with a retractable staircase, which goes down to the level of the children’s room.

There are basically 4 distinct levels to the house: 1st floor (Mikio’s office + garage), 2nd floor (children’s room + bathroom + toilet), mezzanine (kitchen + living room), attic (parents’ bedroom?). The mezzanine and 2nd floor are kind of like the “same floor”; the mezzanine is only 4 steps up from the 2nd floor.

Mikio’s body was at/near the bottom of the stairs leading from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor (so, basically in his office at the bottom of the stairs - if I understand correctly).

Yasuko and Niina’s bodies were on the 2nd floor, in the “hallway” - but as noted recently in this thread, the new documentary shows there was a vicious attack on them in the loft/attic, in which the killer’s knife was badly broken (and I think in which the killer injured himself). I think the main speculation is that the killer went downstairs after his knife broke, to fetch a new knife and/or tend to his wounds; and at some point Yasuko/Niina came downstairs to tend to their wounds, either thinking the killer had left the house or out of desperation as they were likely in urgent need of first aid. Whatever the case, the killer attacked and killed them after they descended the retractable stairs to the 2nd floor.

 

[Eliver]

So many things happen around, I should read posts here more diligently.

RSBM: I think that's it Charlot!

Going through all posts takes time, I know, but yes everything was covered multiple times in the past and you can easily find most of the answers even without going back in the previous threads, but just a few pages in this one

Anyway, @WhoDisDoe covered everything correctly about the layout so there you have it. Just one thing: the attack on Yasuko and Niina in the attic was already known before the documentary. This is not a new information.

Going back to the alleged sock footprint: I tried going very quickly back to the footage of the documentary but I cannot see any other place in which a footprint like that appears, only in the image that was already posted here.

But then again I'm admittedly pretty bad at spotting things.
Today is the first time I have some time off and I will try watch it in full once more to see if I spot anything.

 

[Incoherent]

@WhoDisDoe great explanation and correct.

I’ll add here the reason why the loft might be confusing to some is because in this instance it comes from the Japanese ロフト (rofuto), which is taken from the English word “loft” but is perhaps a different concept.
These are spaces at the top of the houses, usually with a ladder acting as a staircase that are usually specifically extra bedroom spaces. So in the western sense I suppose we would call it an attic, but in Japan it is called a loft and is designed as a bedroom. In this case it was Mikio and Yasuko’s bedroom.

To my knowledge there have only ever been 3 images of the loft released and unfortunately they are of the crime scene itself. I have conferred with a moderator who has given me the go ahead to post the photos here if there are people who want to see them. But they are NSFW and show blood and the broken knife pieces.
I believe there is a way to do a “spoiler” here that could shield the photos unless clicked. But it could be better if those who would like to see them send me a DM.

 

[Charlot123]

I’ve also found the layout of the house confusing. Fortunately there are some resources that really help, listing a couple below.

Walkthrough of the house a few years ago (from a press event with An Irie):

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For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

. Unfortunately the cameraman doesn’t go up the retractable stairs to the loft, so you can’t see that. There’s a 3D reconstruction available on TikTok which you can find if interested.

(Translated) blueprint of the house (source: What We Really Know About the Setagaya Family Murder?): View attachment 555751
Addressing a few of your questions:

As far as I can tell from photos, the home is on fairly level land.

The “loft” is indeed more like an attic IMO. It’s an enclosed room with a retractable staircase, which goes down to the level of the children’s room.

There are basically 4 distinct levels to the house: 1st floor (Mikio’s office + garage), 2nd floor (children’s room + bathroom + toilet), mezzanine (kitchen + living room), attic (parents’ bedroom?). The mezzanine and 2nd floor are kind of like the “same floor”; the mezzanine is only 4 steps up from the 2nd floor.

Mikio’s body was at/near the bottom of the stairs leading from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor (so, basically in his office at the bottom of the stairs - if I understand correctly).

Yasuko and Niina’s bodies were on the 2nd floor, in the “hallway” - but as noted recently in this thread, the new documentary shows there was a vicious attack on them in the loft/attic, in which the killer’s knife was badly broken (and I think in which the killer injured himself). I think the main speculation is that the killer went downstairs after his knife broke, to fetch a new knife and/or tend to his wounds; and at some point Yasuko/Niina came downstairs to tend to their wounds, either thinking the killer had left the house or out of desperation as they were likely in urgent need of first aid. Whatever the case, the killer attacked and killed them after they descended the retractable stairs to the 2nd floor.

Thank you!

It was very helpful. I did see the video with An Irie but since there was no translation, I mostly paid attention to her anxiety. Poor woman, she has to live with it for almost a century now!

Some things I could not understand because I was looking for that bunk bed and didn't see it, but now I understand why it was replaced.

A small house, but definitely thought of and well-organized for four people.

Thank you very much!

 

[Charlot123]

RSBM: I think that's it Charlot!

Going through all posts takes time, I know, but yes everything was covered multiple times in the past and you can easily find most of the answers even without going back in the previous threads, but just a few pages in this one

Anyway, @WhoDisDoe covered everything correctly about the layout so there you have it. Just one thing: the attack on Yasuko and Niina in the attic was already known before the documentary. This is not a new information.

Going back to the alleged sock footprint: I tried going very quickly back to the footage of the documentary but I cannot see any other place in which a footprint like that appears, only in the image that was already posted here.

But then again I'm admittedly pretty bad at spotting things.
Today is the first time I have some time off and I will try watch it in full once more to see if I spot anything.

To be honest, I am almost hopeless about this case, but maybe the Japanese government will change the rules? This is a horrible crime.

I should finish the video, but honestly, it is hard. Four people were victims and after I watched half of it, I got a strange feeling that they were absolutely uninvolved, didn't know the killer, but maybe, the perpetrator was prone to unhealthy obsessions? Who would kill two men and then "take the time" with the females?

 

[Charlot123]

@WhoDisDoe great explanation and correct.

I’ll add here the reason why the loft might be confusing to some is because in this instance it comes from the Japanese ロフト (rofuto), which is taken from the English word “loft” but is perhaps a different concept.
These are spaces at the top of the houses, usually with a ladder acting as a staircase that are usually specifically extra bedroom spaces. So in the western sense I suppose we would call it an attic, but in Japan it is called a loft and is designed as a bedroom. In this case it was Mikio and Yasuko’s bedroom.

To my knowledge there have only ever been 3 images of the loft released and unfortunately they are of the crime scene itself. I have conferred with a moderator who has given me the go ahead to post the photos here if there are people who want to see them. But they are NSFW and show blood and the broken knife pieces.
I believe there is a way to do a “spoiler” here that could shield the photos unless clicked. But it could be better if those who would like to see them send me a DM.

Yes, thank you!

The reason that here the attics stay unfurnished although some have more than enough space is the heating, i think. Extending the heating tubes to one more floor plus insulation takes a lot of time. And there needs to be quite heavy insulation. But then, the houses are bigger. I wonder how this issue is resolved in Japan.

I don't want to see the loft unless there is something that could give an extra idea. More footsteps? Sigh. But i think there is a way to make a spoiler here. I saw one.

What I want to see is the photo of the ladder. Was it retracted and out, or back in?

 

[Incoherent]

What I want to see is the photo of the ladder. Was it retracted and out, or back in?

SBM: as per the documentary the ladder remained out, except that the lower half was retracted slightly making it easier to pass on the landing.

There was also a blanket hanging down from the loft entrance that would have prevented it from closing entirely.