Heka to honour resident who helped evacuate fire-hit building

Heka, the company managing Helsinki’s city-owned rental housing, plans to recognise a resident who alerted neighbours to a fire and knocked on apartment doors to help ensure everyone escaped safely, Yle reported.

“He acted as an exemplary resident,” said Pekka Pirinen, Heka’s director of property management.

The fire broke out on Monday afternoon in a gallery-access apartment building in Savela, Helsinki. The building’s roof was destroyed, and firefighting continued into Tuesday.

Residents of all 12 apartments were evacuated. No one was seriously injured, but one person was taken for further treatment after being exposed to smoke.

Police are investigating the cause of the fire. Preliminary information indicates that it may have started with an electric scooter charging on an apartment balcony.

Four other buildings in the same courtyard remain in normal use. It is not yet known when residents will be able to return to their homes, as Heka is arranging temporary accommodation while the damage is assessed.

Heka has not yet determined which apartments can be occupied and which require repairs.

Under Heka’s guidance, electric vehicles cannot be charged in shared spaces such as corridors or storage areas. Batteries may be charged inside an apartment, but should not be left charging unattended, Pirinen said.

Heka manages more than 55,000 homes across Helsinki. Fires are rare, but the number of electrical devices is increasing, and the company plans to provide customers with more information about fire safety. It has not yet decided whether its instructions need to be changed.