Distraught Mother, 2 Children Die in Fire

An idle back yard swing, a tiny bicycle and a twisted tricycle were the only visible external reminders of two young sisters who died in a house fire in Anaheim early Sunday, a blaze that police said they believe was set by their distraught mother, who perished with them.

Five Anaheim fire companies responded to the alarm just after midnight on Saturday and put out the flames within 20 minutes, Anaheim Police Sgt. Ron Girk said.

Found in Bedroom

In a bedroom of the home in the 2400 block of West Harriett Lane, firefighters found the bodies of Mitsue Sakai, 28, and her two daughters, Seira Candy Sakai, 5, and Rina Stephanie Sakai, 4.

Fire officials said all three apparently died of smoke inhalation. The Orange County coroner’s office is expected to have autopsy results today.

“Based on physical evidence and interviews with witnesses at the scene,” Girk said, police believe that Mitsue Sakai “intentionally set fire to the house, as she was extremely distraught over marital and family problems.”

The fire was set in the living room, investigators found. Damage was estimated at $100,000.

Friends, neighbors, co-workers and employers--all stunned and grief stricken--described the woman and her husband, Hideo Sakai, as a quiet, hard-working couple who gave little hint that their marriage was in trouble.

“We pray that they can sleep well,” said a neighbor, Yoshimiro Inoue, his eyes rimmed with tears.

Sadness Noted

Inoue said his wife, who worked with Mitsue Sakai as a waitress at the Mitsuyoshi Japanese restaurant in Anaheim, said that in recent days the woman, who was once “very cheerful,” had become “so sad,” but gave no indication of the cause of her sadness.

“My wife thought they could solve their problems themselves,” Inoue said, sighing. “I think it’s very hard to find contentment.”

As the day wore on, bouquets of flowers and fruit collected on the front lawn of the Sakais’ gutted house in the quiet neighborhood of single-family homes.

“I can’t believe it,” said Sachiyo Seki, another waitress at the Anaheim restaurant.

Sakai had worked there four years, according to Seki and her mother, Yokiko Seki, owner of the restaurant. They said she was a good worker and that she gave no indication of having any serious personal problems. Sakai worked a dinner shift Saturday, as usual, and left at about 10:30 p.m., they said.

Husband Left Work

Yoshikazu Suzuki, president of the Amagi Japanese restaurant in Buena Park, where Hideo Sakai worked as chief chef for the last eight years, said Sakai left work Saturday at about 11 p.m.

Police and fire officials on Sunday were attempting to locate Sakai through friends and associates. Neighbors said he arrived at the home around 2:30 a.m., was informed of the deaths, and has not been seen since.