Fire breaks out in historic wartime soldier’s home in Kuopio’s Niirala district

A fire has broken out in a rintamamiestalo—a historic wooden house originally built for war veterans—in the Niirala area of Kuopio, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports. Emergency services say the blaze is not yet under control.

Seven fire and rescue units are at the scene. Four residents were inside the building when the fire started but managed to escape unharmed. They initially attempted to extinguish the flames themselves before evacuating.

The cause of the fire remains unknown, according to duty fire chief Antti Korhonen. The incident is ongoing, and updates are expected as more information becomes available.

The rintamamiestalo (literally “frontline soldier’s house”) refers to a type of wooden home constructed in Finland after World War II to provide housing for returning veterans. Many such buildings still stand in residential areas across the country.