Firefighting operation in Tampere nears conclusion at Remeo waste facility

A significant firefighting operation that began last Tuesday morning in Tampere is nearing its conclusion. The blaze at Remeo’s waste management facility, which ignited from a pile of energy waste, has calmed down considerably. The Pirkanmaa Fire Department is still engaged in extinguishing residual fires and clearing the area, as the site cannot yet be left unattended, according to Fire Chief Ilpo Kuokkanen.

“The situation has stabilized greatly, but we still have one fire truck and a couple of tankers on-site throughout the night, though the workload has diminished,” he stated. Smoke production has decreased significantly, and a safety warning that had been in effect for several days was lifted on Saturday.

As the fire department assesses whether to conclude operations and hand over the site to Remeo, they have been involved in firefighting efforts for nearly a week. Chief Kuokkanen described the lengthy response to the fire as highly unusual, noting, “It is quite rare for an operation to last this long and require so many resources.”

The Pirkanmaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is monitoring the fire’s impact on the environment and air quality through measurements and samples. Water samples have been collected from the nearby Houkanoja river to analyze the possible discharge of harmful substances into the waterway.

The Pirkanmaa Fire Department has also sourced water from Ahvenisjärvi lake for firefighting efforts, with reports indicating a significant drop in the lake’s water level due to the ongoing operation.