Fireworks firm seeks permit for 99,000 kg of explosives in Janakkala

Pyrokratia Oy, a fireworks company in Janakkala’s Vähikkälä, has applied to the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) for permission to store up to 99,000 kilograms of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices, according to a report by Janakkalan Sanomat.

The company also plans to build a new storage area. The move follows a devastating fire at its Vähikkälä warehouse in November 2025, which triggered an explosion risk and prompted the evacuation of about 60 people. Investigators later determined that faulty fireworks caused the blast. A smaller fire had also occurred at the site prior to the major incident.

In its application, Pyrokratia states it has upgraded safety protocols, including revised operating procedures and work practices, since the accident. The proposed expansion would reclassify the facility as a major accident hazard establishment, requiring a formal safety assessment to prevent large-scale incidents.

Under the plan, explosives would be distributed across four container areas. The first three would be regrouped within the existing fence, while the fourth would be a new, separate fenced area. Splitting the stock across multiple containers aims to reduce the quantity in any single unit—and the potential impact of an accident—even as the total storage volume increases.

The company intends to eventually relocate its most hazardous professional-grade products to Kirkkonummi, leaving only consumer fireworks in Vähikkälä. Additional internal protective barriers, enhanced surveillance, and increased staff training are also proposed.