In the investigation at the scene, when the police investigated temple staff on suspicions of arson, due to the fact that there were no sources of fire in the temple and that bedclothes were found near the scene of the fire, they found that Shoken HAYASHI, a monk of apprentice of the temple and a college student (from Maizuru City, Kyoto Prefecture, 21 years old at the time), was missing and thus searched for his whereabouts.
鎮火後現場検証したところ、普段火の気がない事、そして寝具が何故か付近に置かれている事から、不審火の疑いがあるとして同寺の関係者を取り調べたところ、同寺子弟の見習い僧侶であり大学生の林承賢（京都府舞鶴市出身・当時21歳）がいない事が判明し行方を捜索した。