Finland: Five Members of a Somali Family Killed in Suspected Arson Attack
Five members of a Somali family died in a suspected arson attack Tuesday in a residential building in Vantaa, about 15 kilometers north of Helsinki, police said.
“Five deceased persons were found in the stairwell, including two adults and three minor children. An infant was taken to hospital,” Inspector Mikael Backlund said during a press conference. He stated that the fire was of criminal origin and had been started by a 70-year-old man living in the same building. The suspect has been arrested.
The motive for the act has not yet been determined, and the suspect was scheduled to be questioned later in the day. When asked about a possible racist motive, police said that hypothesis had been ruled out.
Inspector Backlund confirmed media reports that the victims were of Somali origin. Investigator Sanna Rentola said the victims were members of the same family: two adults aged between 30 and 40, and three children aged three, six, and eight.
The family’s apartment was located on an upper floor. According to police, the victims attempted to leave the apartment but were unable to escape due to extremely dense smoke and the condition of the stairwell.
The fire has been extinguished, and emergency operations remain ongoing at the scene.
