Fire at Finnish border shop likely caused by solar panel system, police confirm

A fire that destroyed a grocery store in Näätämö, northern Finland, in April likely started in the building’s solar power system, Lapland Police have concluded.

The Nord1-Market, located near the Norwegian border, burned to the ground on 11 April, leaving only ruins behind. While the blaze caused significant property damage, no serious injuries were reported.

Police launched an investigation into the cause due to the extent of the damage. Early footage and images from the fire’s initial stages pointed to the origin near the solar system’s safety switch. Authorities now believe the fire most likely began either in the switch itself or in the system’s wiring.

The store’s owner, Jari Kekäle, had previously told national broadcaster Yle that he suspected the decade-old rooftop solar panels were to blame. Police findings have since supported his theory, confirming the fire’s probable point of origin at the junction between the older and newer sections of the building.

The solar panels in question were installed ten years ago.