Helsinki building inspection finds no faults in fire-damaged Kalasatama apartment block

A fire that tore through a Helsinki apartment building in the Kalasatama district spread with unusual speed, but city building inspectors report no recorded structural deficiencies in the property, Yle reports.

The blaze began on the fourth-floor balcony of a residential block on Leonkatu at approximately 20:55 on Saturday evening. Within ten minutes, smoke was visible rising from the roof. Though firefighters extinguished the balcony fire by 21:30, flames soon engulfed the roof, fully ablaze within half an hour. Crews battled the fire for nearly three hours before bringing it under control.

Leena Immonen, Helsinki’s chief building inspector, confirmed to Yle that no construction flaws had been documented in the building. Technical drawings submitted to inspectors indicated firebreaks—designed to delay the spread of flames, smoke, and toxic gases—were installed between balcony ceilings and floors, using fire-resistant panels rated for 30 minutes of protection. Gaps were sealed with fireproof caulk and mineral wool, according to the plans.

“No modifications have been reported to us, so we assume the work was executed as designed,” Immonen stated. She noted that the ongoing fire investigation would ultimately confirm whether the firebreaks were properly installed.

The building, completed in 2016 by contractor Lemminkäinen (now part of YIT), was declared uninhabitable. Two additional residential blocks in the same complex were also constructed by Lemminkäinen. YIT told Yle it is reviewing the incident internally and assisting authorities, stating that “no deviations in fire safety were observed during construction or final inspections.”

Authorities suspect a gas grill used by an elderly couple on the balcony may have sparked the fire, possibly due to a technical malfunction. The man operating the grill faces preliminary charges of endangering public safety but denies wrongdoing. Helsinki’s fire department continues to examine whether the building’s firebreaks functioned as intended.