Young man arrested on suspicion of arson of Kaivoksela Church in Vantaa
Nearby Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses was also set alight last week
Kaivoksela Church in the city of Vantaa was destroyed completely in a fire early on Sunday morning. Only the building's concrete support structures and its external brick walls remained intact.
The rescue officials and the police suspect arson. Based on a tip-off from a member of the public the police arrested a young man (b. 1981) at his home not too far from the church on Sunday morning. He is being questioned in connection with the fire.
The man has not confessed to the arson. The fire is being investigated as deliberate sabotage.
The Vantaa police are busy investigating two other fires as well. On Saturday four caravans were burned on a parking lot opposite to the Kaivoksela church. A nearby Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall was damaged in a fire last week.
So far the police have been unable to establish a possible link between the fires. According to Insp. Juha Juurinen the church fire started at the building's back door, where there were signs of use of inflammable fluids.
A passer-by alerted rescue officials to the fire at 5 am on Sunday morning. By the time the rescue units arrived at the scene, the building was already well ablaze.
Twelve units from the Vantaa and Helsinki fire departments took part in the rescue efforts, assisted by members from four volunteer fire brigades. Though the concrete frame and the ceiling of the building held, the interior of the main chapel was completely destroyed.
"This is the worst work of destruction in the capital area in decades", vicar Jaakko Simojoki testified. According to Simojoki, the congregation will now look for temporary accommodation for its functions from the area's schools, shopping centres, and maternity clinics.
The church's organ and the altarpiece by Professor Oili Mäki were among the most precious items destroyed in the blaze.
Simojoki estimates the cost of damage in the region of EUR ten million. The church was insured but it did not have automatic fire alarms.
The fire did not present a danger to nearby residential areas as the church is situated in the middle of a wooded area not too close to any other buildings.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 16.10.2006 - TODAY |
 Young man arrested on suspicion of arson of Kaivoksela Church in Vantaa
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