Fire at Museum of Technology causes less damage than first feared
Museum open normally
A fire which broke out at the Museum of Technology in the Old Town section of Helsinki caused less damage than had been feared. Museum director Marjo Mikkola says that about one quarter of the roof of one of the exhibition halls was destroyed in the blaze.
There was smoke and water damage to the interiors.
Marjo Mikkola would not guess at the monetary costs of the fire, which is owned by the City of Helsinki.
The museum, at Viikintie 1, will be open normally today. The water filtering hall, where the fire took place, was to have opened in early June.
Police began to investigate the possible cause of the fire at nine Wednesday morning.
The fire was reported by a passer-by at 10:50 at night. The flames rose high above the roof of the building, and it took 14 fire engines to bring the fire under control at about midnight.
There were no people inside the red-brick building, which dates back to the late 19th century, housing an old water filtering plant, until the city's water utility moved out in the early 1960s. The building, with its sand filter, became an exhibit in its own right. The museum was established in 1972.
The Museum of Technology, said to be the only one of its kind in Finland, has a total of 5,400 square metres of exhibition space.
"The water filtering plant accounts for no more than 500 square metres.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 7.5.2008 - TODAY |
 Fire at Museum of Technology causes less damage than first feared |
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