Detached house destroyed in overnight fire in Kotka

A detached house in Kotka’s Metsola district was completely destroyed by fire early Thursday morning, according to a report by Finnish public broadcaster Yle.

Emergency services received the alarm just before 2 a.m. after a neighbor heard an explosion and discovered the blaze. The neighbor alerted two adults and two children inside the home, who escaped unharmed.

Firefighters remained at the scene as of 6 a.m., with smoke spreading across Metsola and the nearby Kotkansaari area. Fire Chief Juha Säämänen told Yle that investigations into the cause will continue through the day, with rescue operations expected to last until at least the afternoon.

Police and fire authorities are jointly examining the origin of the fire.