Explosion injures one in Kuitinmäki apartment in Espoo, Finland

A recent explosion incident in Kuitinmäki, located in Olaria, Espoo, occurred in the same apartment where police had previously conducted a search for explosives, according to the Western Uusimaa Police. The explosion took place last Saturday when a firework detonated on the balcony of an apartment, injuring one individual. Authorities have detained a man in his thirties on suspicion of negligent handling of the firework.

The police do not believe that anyone else was involved in the incident, apart from the injured individual. Earlier this month, the same man was arrested at the same residence after he called emergency services himself, leading to a confrontation during his arrest. At that time, authorities discovered an acoustic grenade and homemade electrical devices that posed fire or electric shock risks. He faced charges related to explosive offenses, causing danger, and violently resisting a public official.

Jasper Uski, the head of the police investigation, stated that the reasons for the individual’s 911 call fall under personal privacy, and he cannot comment further on it. Two separate preliminary investigations into the events were launched.

As the investigations proceeded, it was determined that all explosives found in the apartment were legal fireworks or similar items that did not require special permits. “The name acoustic grenade can be misleading,” Uski noted, adding that while it produces a loud sound, it is not the military-grade flashbang grenade typically associated with explosive noise and light.

The charges were reduced in the investigation; the initial case resulted in a charge of obstructing a public official, which was downgraded to a basic form of resistance. The man received a fine for this. In the case of last Saturday’s explosion, the charge remains negligence, and the case has been forwarded for prosecution consideration.