Pyrokratia Oy seeks approval to expand fireworks storage in Janakkala despite past incidents
Pyrokratia Oy, a fireworks company based in Vähikkälä, Janakkala, has applied to the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes) to expand its storage capacity to 99,000 kilograms of fireworks and pyrotechnic devices. The company plans to construct a new storage area as part of the expansion, which would reclassify the facility as a safety assessment institution requiring enhanced accident prevention measures.
The application follows a major fire in November 2025 that triggered an explosion hazard at the company’s existing storage site. The incident forced the evacuation of approximately 60 residents within a one-kilometer danger zone after fireworks detonated uncontrollably, spreading flames across the storage area (Ilta-Sanomat). A smaller fire had also occurred at the facility earlier that year.
Safety improvements and operational changes
According to the application, Pyrokratia has revised its safety protocols in response to the 2025 incident, including updated operational principles, work practices, and an internal rescue plan (Yle). The company states that while the total volume of explosives will increase, the risk of a large-scale accident will be mitigated by distributing fireworks across four separate container areas, three of which will be regrouped within an existing fence, while a fourth will be built in a new, separately fenced zone.
Additional safety measures include internal protective barriers, increased surveillance, and enhanced employee training (Yle). The company also plans to relocate the most hazardous professional-grade fireworks to Kirkkonummi, leaving only consumer products—described in the application as posing "no significant explosion hazard"—in Janakkala (Ilta-Sanomat).
Tukes’ investigation into the 2025 fire concluded that the likely cause was a firework damaged during transport or handling, though a definitive ignition source could not be determined (Ilta-Sanomat).
The expansion plans were first reported by Janakkalan Sanomat. Pyrokratia’s CEO, Juhani Törmänen, has not publicly commented on the application or the 2025 incident.