Fire breaks out in main stage seating at Rovaniemi’s Ounas Pavilion ahead of major festival

A fire broke out in the upper corner of the main seating area at Rovaniemi’s Ounas Pavilion on Tuesday evening, threatening the venue that hosts the upcoming Simerock festival.

Local resident Markku Sorsa told Yle he arrived at the pavilion’s parking lot around 18:30 on Tuesday when the area was quiet. Within minutes, he heard loud noises and saw smoke rising from the nearby seating structure.

“It started with popping sounds, like construction work,” Sorsa said. “Then smoke became visible, and within five to ten minutes flames shot out from under the eaves.”

The pavilion, located in central Rovaniemi, is set to host the Simerock festival on August 7–8, billed as Lapland’s largest music event with over 26,000 attendees last year.

The fire originated in the upper corner of the temporary seating area, which has a capacity of 800 people. Witnesses said two young boys ran from the scene—one on a bicycle, the other on foot. A third person, an elderly woman, was found sitting calmly on the steps inside the structure.

Emergency responders arrived quickly and were able to extinguish the fire by removing a section of paneling, according to on-duty fire chief Ville Rankinen. While some supporting structures were charred, he said the damage was limited and the seating area remains repairable.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.