Investigation begins into fire that destroyed Seinäjoki apartment

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of a fire that completely destroyed an apartment in the Kasperi district of Seinäjoki, Yle reports.

The fire broke out in the top-floor unit of a five-storey building on Thursday. No injuries were reported, though the blaze spread partially into the roof and caused smoke and water damage to other apartments.

Firefighters responded to the scene at around 17:00, with about ten units deployed. Crews remained on site until midnight. Most residents were allowed to return home the same evening, though around ten households were displaced overnight due to damage.

Duty fire chief Ville Kultalahti said the investigation is in its early stages, with police also involved due to the scale of the damage. Authorities have not yet determined the origin of the fire or how long the probe will take.

Santtu Lahma, duty fire officer with the South Ostrobothnia rescue services, described the operation as successful, noting that the fire was prevented from fully spreading into the roof. He added that the overall damage was relatively limited.