Police investigate Viitasaari apartment fire as aggravated arson

Police in Central Finland are treating a fire in a two-storey apartment building on Haapaniementie in Viitasaari as aggravated arson, Yle reports.

The emergency services received an alert before 8 pm on Friday about a blaze in the building’s stairwell. No injuries were reported, though smoke damage affected apartments and the stairwell was severely damaged.

At least sixteen people were in the building at the time of the fire.

Police are seeking public reports of a light-coloured Volvo V70 seen at the scene. The car carried multiple passengers, and two men, both around 180 cm tall, had exited the vehicle. One had long hair and wore a light-coloured T-shirt; the other wore dark clothing with light patterns.