Fire at Messilä boat harbor destroys multiple vessels on Midsummer’s Day
A fire at Messilä boat harbor in Hollola on Midsummer’s Day resulted in the destruction of at least three boats, according to eyewitness accounts. The blaze began around 15:45 when a motorboat at a long-term berth caught fire, with witnesses describing a sudden puff of smoke, as if something had exploded, before flames engulfed the vessel (Iltalehti).
Minna and Pete, a couple present at the scene, told Ilta-Sanomat that the fire spread rapidly after the first boat’s ropes burned through. Strong winds pushed the burning vessel into a second boat, which also ignited and broke free, colliding with a third. The couple filmed the incident, showing multiple boats in flames. Ilta-Sanomat reports that the rescue department was on site extinguishing the fire, though officials have not yet commented on the cause or extent of the damage.
Eyewitnesses told Iltalehti that emergency services arrived quickly, cordoning off the area by 16:05 and extinguishing the fire on the dock. By that time, visible flames had subsided, though thick smoke was reported earlier. The marina is situated in front of the Messilä Camping campsite. Neither Iltalehti nor Ilta-Sanomat has received an official statement from the rescue department at this time.
