Vantaa arson attack disrupts telecoms for 2,000 after cables deliberately set ablaze

Police in eastern Uusimaa have launched an investigation into aggravated disruption of telecommunications and aggravated criminal damage after a cable junction box was intentionally set on fire in Vantaa’s Myyrmäki district last Thursday, Yle reports.

The fire, which broke out in a wooded area near Louhelantie, damaged cables and connections inside an Elisa telecom manhole, causing service outages for approximately 2,000 nearby residents relying on cable internet and television. Preliminary assessments indicate “significant material damage,” according to Detective Chief Inspector Sampsa Aukio, who is leading the case.

Authorities have not disclosed the number of suspects or further details on the sequence of events, as the pre-trial investigation remains ongoing. Police continue to seek witness accounts while working to identify those involved and assess compensation claims.

The incident was first reported on June 5, though police initially withheld specifics about the location and extent of the fire.