Safety Investigation Authority’s investigation of Äkäslompolo hostel firehighlights shortcomings in safety management of different actors

The Safety Investigation Authority has already reported that the fire originated from the ashes of a campfire, which had been removed from the excursion site and stored in the hostel building’s outdoor storage. The plastic box containing the ashes ignited and the fire quickly spread from it to the structures and external surfaces of the building. The fire had spread significantly before it was detected inside the building.

”A need to handle and transport ashes sometimes arises in nature tourism activities. However, there is not enough understanding of the risk posed by ashes. There is currently no uniform and safe operating model for handling ashes. Understanding that ashes may be hot and hazardous based on casual observation is also difficult. As a result, we recommend that Metsähallitus develop consistent, effective and safe practices for handling ashes”, says Timo Naskali, Investigator in Charge.

The hostel building itself had been originally constructed for residential use but had been converted to be used for tourism accommodation over the years. Alterations made to the building over the years impaired the fire and emergency exit safety.

”In converting the premises, the personal safety risk was not always addressed, and the emergency exit safety of the upper floor rooms was significantly reduced as a result of the changes. As the fire spread and blocked the only exit, it made it difficult for the guests in the rooms along the corridor to escape. All those who lost their lives were staying in the rooms upstairs along the corridor. To prevent similar incidents, we recommend that the Ministry of the Interior ensure that information on accommodation activities in a building reaches the local rescue authority in a timely manner, making it possible to target supervision work. The user of accommodation services must be able to trust that the facilities are safe and appropriately supervised by the authorities”, Investigator in Charge Naskali emphasises.

The investigation also emphasises the risk management of tourism activities.

Northern lights excursions and similar tourism activities have been assessed to involve minor risks, and they do not require a permit from the authorities. Instead, safety relies on the service provider’s own risk management. While safety management material is readily available, it does not reach all service providers and is fragmented.

“Tourism is an important industry, and tourism activities play a key role in tourism and its safety. However, overall responsibility for safety management in tourism is fragmented and not vested in a specific single actor. We recommend that the supervising authority, Tukes, update the safety management guidelines for activity and experience services as a whole. This information should also reach foreign operators”, notes Timo Naskali, Investigator in Charge.

The investigation also highlighted the importance of the authorities’ cooperation capabilities, especially in accidents involving a large number of tourists and in sparsely populated areas where resources are scarce and distances are long. No cooperation plan had been prepared for incidents involving a high number of tourists like the Äkäslompolo fire.

There was also no plan for the provision of psychosocial support after the acute phase and, as a result, the transfer of responsibility was unsuccessful. The investigation showed that there are regional differences in the practices of implementing crisis work.

Link to summary and investigation report

Link to English presentation of the investigation report (YouTube)

German translations of summary and press release

Dutch translation of summary and press release

Additional information:

Timo Naskali, Investigator in Charge, tel. +358 (0)2951 50740

Photo: SIAF