Espoo Rescue Department faulted for serious errors in deadly fire last year

Prompt response probably would not have saved victims

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Serious errors were found to have been made by the Espoo Rescue Department in its response to a fire in March last year at a home used as a shelter for people with substance abuse problems.
      Five people were killed in the blaze and several were seriously injured.
      However, the delay is not believed to have caused any of the deaths, as those who died were most likely dead already when the first alarm was sent out.
     
A report by the Accident Investigation Board Finland finds that the first mistake took place when the person who took the call misheard the address of the building on fire.
      The second error was when the emergency centre passed on the alarm to the fire station. The alarm was not heard over the loudspeakers of the fire station.
      Although most of those on duty heard noticed the alarm even without the announcement, the driver of the water lorry at Espoo’s central fire station did not hear it.
     
The driver went to the wrong address, and it took nearly half an hour for the water to get to the right location.
      Because of the lack of water, the firefighters who were already at the scene had to suspend their smoke diving operation
     
Jarmo Laurila, the director of the West Uusimaa Emergency Centre, says that human error was involved, and he admits that the mistakes were serious. He added, however, that a technical fault has not been ruled out.
      A new data system at the emergency centre has caused a number of problems, including errors involving addresses, in the past couple of years.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Identity of some victims of Espoo house fire still unclear (28.3.2008)
  At least five dead in Espoo house fire (27.3.2008)

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