Firefighters spend hours extinguishing car upholstery workshop blaze in Vantaa

A massive fire destroyed a 4,000-square-metre car upholstery workshop in Vantaa overnight, with firefighting and cooling operations continuing for hours after the blaze was contained, reports Finnish public broadcaster Yle. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with police and rescue services stating that inquiries are still in the early stages.

No lives were lost in the blaze, which broke out just after midnight on Friday at a facility operated by Verhoomo Sorsa on Tahkotiellä in the Tuupakka industrial area. However, material damages may reach up to €20 million, according to an initial estimate by the company’s managing director.

The Central Uusimaa Rescue Department declared at around 4 AM that the fire no longer posed a smoke hazard, though the building was completely destroyed. Firefighters received the emergency call at 12:15 AM, deploying 26 units to the scene. Dousings and cooling efforts were expected to last well into Friday morning, per duty fire chief Tomi Airaksinen.

Dozens of vehicles were consumed in the fire, contributing to the extensive damage. Authorities have not yet determined whether the incident involved criminal activity.