Police investigating intentional fire at care facility in Outokumpu, Finland

The East Finland Police are investigating a fire that occurred Wednesday at a care facility in Outokumpu, treating it as an intentional act. According to Tomi Lautanen, an investigator with the East Finland Police, the preliminary investigation is just getting underway. Currently, one person is suspected of serious arson.

Police continue to carry out technical examinations at the scene as well as interrogate those involved. The North Karelia Rescue Service is also conducting its own investigation at the site on Thursday.

The fire destroyed a unit in a care home that provides treatment for individuals with substance abuse issues. The blaze broke out in the ground-floor apartment of the two-story building, which was formerly an old school converted into residential units. The structure sustained damage in the fire, particularly to the approximately 60 square meter apartment on the ground floor, which is divided into three resident rooms. One of these rooms was completely destroyed.

Additionally, smoke from the lower floor spread to the upper residential and communal areas, as well as the stairwell. The entire building continues to have a lingering odor of smoke, and some areas are temporarily closed off.

The care home has relocated its operations to temporary facilities. Lautanen reported that preliminary information indicates that no one was injured in the incident. At the time of the fire, there were nine residents and two caregivers present; the caregivers successfully evacuated eight residents, while police assisted in the evacuation of one more.