Three horses escape and cause traffic chaos on Lohja motorway
Three horses caused significant traffic disruptions in Lohja on Monday afternoon after escaping from their pasture and running onto the motorway. The incident led to congestion, lane closures, and warnings on electronic road signs as the animals moved across several kilometres.
The first sightings were reported near the Lohja ABC service station around 4:30 PM. Witness Karri Österlund told Iltalehti that the horses appeared unexpectedly, running from a motorway ramp onto the roadway in a westerly direction. Later, they were spotted at the Lempola roundabout, several kilometres away, where they caused further delays.
Jenna Kõlamets, who filmed the horses at the roundabout, described the scene as chaotic. "There was congestion and chaos at the roundabout," she said, adding that police had closed lanes and were present to manage the situation. Bystanders, believed to be the horses' owners or caretakers, were seen attempting to secure the animals.
Ilta-Sanomat reports that traffic on Turuntie slowed to roughly 20 km/h as drivers navigated around the horses, which appeared confused about their surroundings. The speed limit on the motorway is typically 100 or 120 km/h. A motorist who contacted the emergency centre via the 112 app said the horses eventually exited the motorway via the Lohja ramp.
The West Uusimaa Police Department confirmed receiving an alert about the incident shortly after 4:00 PM. According to police, the horses had been moving along the Turku motorway and through the Lempola roundabout before being captured. Authorities suspect the animals were startled in their pasture and fled, though the exact cause of their escape remains unclear (Ilta-Sanomat).
"There is a suspicion that the horses were in a pasture, got frightened by something, and ran off," a police spokesperson said. Horse enthusiasts among the bystanders assisted in securing the animals, and the owner was later contacted. The horses were returned to their pasture without any reported accidents (Iltalehti).
While horse escapes are not uncommon, police noted that incidents involving motorways are rare. "I don’t recall a case where they were actually on the motorway," one officer told Ilta-Sanomat. The situation centre confirmed that no accidents were recorded in connection with the incident.
