Two injured in Helsinki apartment fire

A fire in a Vuosaari apartment building early Thursday left two people with minor injuries, according to Helsinki emergency services.

The blaze broke out just before midnight in a high-rise on Halkaisijantie. Fire chief Kim Lassila said open windows and balcony doors allowed smoke to spread upward through the building, filling multiple upper-floor units and triggering panic among residents.

Residents evacuating the burning apartment left its door open, filling the stairwell with smoke. Lassila noted that while no one entered the stairwell, many experienced distress as smoke entered their own units.

Crews extinguished the fire quickly and ventilated the building. Eleven people were assessed by paramedics, with two transported to hospital for minor injuries. Some residents returned to their apartments, while others required temporary accommodation due to smoke damage.

The apartment where the fire started sustained significant fire and smoke damage. Police are investigating the cause.