Fire destroys row house with 12 apartments in Kemi, Finland

Early Sunday morning, a devastating fire broke out on Purolankatu in Kemi, Finland, destroying a row house with 12 apartments. Local resident Elina Kemppainen was awakened by ominous sounds from the scene. “There was a terrible noise and commotion, followed by the rush of emergency vehicles. I opened the curtains and saw flashing lights. I thought I should step outside to see what was happening. The fire was enormous, and thick black smoke was rising,” she said.

Once outside, Kemppainen expressed concern for friends living in the affected building. “I was worried if everyone was alright. There was a bit of a panic since my children were sleeping at home, and I needed to wake them up.”

Numerous emergency responders were on the scene, and Kemppainen noted that the authorities managed the situation calmly despite widespread panic among residents. “A social worker arrived promptly to assess people’s situations and determine if they needed emergency accommodation. Many were upset as they had lost their homes and were uncertain about their next steps.”

The fire chief on site, Mika Tirroniemi from the Lapland Rescue Department, explained that older buildings often have ceiling structures that allow fires to spread easily. “The blaze had already progressed significantly within the roof structure before the first units arrived.” A total of 15 individuals were evacuated from both the burning building and a nearby structure as a precautionary measure.

The cause of the fire is currently unknown. Due to the fire’s intensity and the extent of the damage, further investigations will be necessary to determine how it started.