Finland Times

One person was killed and another injured when an explosion took place at a garage of ammunition at  Karihaara  area in Kemi on Friday evening, police and rescue team sources said.

Rescue members evacuated about 200 people at the locality residing within 150 meters of the place of occurrence  after the explosion to avoid further human casualty as the situation of the garage was still risky , said sources.

Police and eye accounts said the accident took place at about 6.00 pm when people were handing with the ammunition of Canon inside the garage at Varpulankatu  area.

Two persons including one critically  were injured in the explosion. The critically wounded was taken to Oulu University Hospital by helicopter immediately where he succumbed to is wounds, police and hospital sources said.

“Ammunition of Canon were being handled at that time inside the garage,” fire-fighter  Lauri Manninen said, adding that there were still explosive products in the garage.

The rescue member said that the evacuated people were shifted to nearby Karihaara school temporarily and the evacuation activities were complemented calmly in a collective move of different agencies.

The rescue member said that the situation of the garage is still risky and experts from defence forces are expected to come join the operation to inspect the risk factors.

The explosion, however, was not caused by fire, said rescue members, adding that more people from the nearby area also could be evacuated.