Two serious apartment fires break out in Oulu

Two major apartment fires broke out in Oulu in the early hours of Tuesday, according to a report by Yle. No serious injuries were sustained in either blaze.

In the first fire, at a building on Maahisentie in Puolivälinkangas, flames erupted just before 2 a.m. in a third-floor apartment of an eight-storey building. Thick smoke filled the stairwell and upper floors, creating dangerous conditions. One resident jumped from a balcony to the ground after being unable to escape via the stairwell. Emergency services confirmed that others on lower floors also jumped to safety from balconies.

Firefighters in breathing apparatus brought the blaze under control quickly. Crews were forced to break down several apartment doors to evacuate residents. Three people were taken to Oulu University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while seven others were treated for smoke inhalation.

About 20 residents spent the night either with friends or in temporary accommodation arranged by social and crisis emergency services. The two lowest floors of the building were unaffected by smoke, allowing those residents to remain in their homes.

Fire officials noted the incident could have been far worse but credited residents for staying in their apartments and moving to balconies to await rescue, where conditions remained tolerable despite smoke entering the units.

A second fire was reported roughly 40 minutes later on Kanahaukantie in Kaukovainio. The blaze started on the top-floor balcony of a seven-storey building and spread into the apartment. No evacuations were required, and no injuries were reported. Firefighters rescued a dog from the apartment; the animal was in good condition, having been shielded from smoke by a closed door. The fire was extinguished using a turntable ladder and smoke divers.

Investigations into the causes of both fires are underway.