Vantaa fire investigation reveals no initial firefighting attempts were made

No attempts were made to extinguish the early stages of the deadly fire in Vantaa’s Pähkinärinne district, according to an accident report by the Central Uusimaa Rescue Department, as first reported by Finnish media outlets MTV Uutiset and Helsingin Sanomat.

The report states that while firefighting equipment was available in the apartment building, no initial suppression was carried out because there were no capable individuals present to operate it. Several details—including an assessment of the fire’s origin and its development—have been redacted from the public version of the report.

Five members of the same family—two parents and three minors—died in the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of March 3. A baby from the family survived with severe injuries, while four others sustained minor injuries. Rescue services evacuated 32 people from the building.

Firefighters described the blaze as extremely intense upon arrival, with the fire already fully developed and smoke spreading through open windows and fire doors. Emergency services received the alert at 5:39 AM, classifying it as a top-priority response.

Authorities suspect the fire was deliberately set. A 71-year-old man from the same building has been arrested on suspicion of five counts of murder and two attempted murders. The rescue department’s internal assessment of their operational effectiveness has also been redacted.