Contula shopping centre fire damage revealed as businesses find workaround for closure orders

A devastating fire at Helsinki’s Contula shopping centre over Easter has left parts of the complex without heating and hot water, but businesses have found a temporary solution to bypass health and safety closure orders, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

The blaze, which broke out in a loading dock within the centre’s maintenance tunnel, destroyed a key heat distribution unit, cutting off heating and hot water to several premises. While repairs are ongoing, the timeline for full restoration remains unclear, according to Kaija Niemi, CEO of Länsimäki Property Services, which manages the site.

“Work is progressing continuously, but the burned area is extensive, and there’s a lot to do,” Niemi said. Structural assessments of the fire-damaged roof were completed last week, but additional reinforcements and electrical repairs will take significantly longer.

One man, born in the 1960s, died in the fire. Police confirmed the victim was lawfully present in a storage area at the time and is not suspected of any wrongdoing. The most severe damage occurred in a storage-like room at the rear of the loading dock, where the victim was found.

In response to the crisis, Helsinki’s environmental health unit issued temporary closure orders on 9 April to food-handling businesses lacking hot running water. However, many traders have since installed continuous flow water heaters, allowing them to resume operations. As of Wednesday, only a pharmacy, an Alko state liquor store, two restaurants, and one hair salon remained closed.

Mia Degerlund, team leader at the city’s food safety unit, confirmed that all temporary bans have been lifted for businesses that secured alternative hot water solutions. Cold water is currently being routed through temporary bypass pipes while repairs continue.