Photo/Illutration Bottled drinks and flower bouquets left outside a building in Osaka’s Kita Ward to mourn the victims of the deadly arson attack at a mental health clinic here (Nobuhiro Shirai)

The final victim in a deadly arson attack on a mental health clinic in Osaka's Kita Ward in December has died on March 7, raising the death toll to 26, according to Osaka prefectural police. 

The woman, who had been unconscious since the attack, died in the early morning on the day, police said. 

Doctors will conduct an external examination of her body to determine the cause of death.

The latest death means that all 26 victims who suffered cardiopulmonary arrest in the fire at the Nishi-Umeda Kokoro to Karada no Kurinikku (clinic for mind and body) have died. The suspect, Morio Tanimoto, 61, also died on Dec. 30 at a hospital.

According to the prefectural police, the woman was believed to be in her 30s and her death was confirmed at around 12:25 a.m. on March 7.

The arson occurred at the clinic, which was located on the fourth floor of the multitenant Dojima Kita Building in a bustling entertainment district, on the morning of Dec. 17.

The blaze destroyed a 25-square-meter portion of the 90-square-meter clinic.

Tanimoto and 26 people who were suffering from cardiopulmonary arrest were rushed to hospitals.

Twenty-four of the 26 people died on the day of the fire and another victim passed away on Dec. 21.

The prefectural police plan to refer Tanimoto to prosecutors by sending documents on suspicion of murder and other charges even though the accused is deceased.

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