FINLAND – Fire Contained After Breaking Out on Baltic Sea Ferry

Emergency crews responded after a fire broke out Monday evening aboard the Finnish-registered Silja Serenade while it was sailing through the Baltic Sea.

The vessel had departed Helsinki and was en route to Mariehamn when flames ignited inside a container truck loaded with scrap metal among the ship’s cargo.

The ferry continued its journey and arrived at the Port of Mariehamn at around 03:00 on Tuesday, March 3. By the time it docked, thick smoke had intensified the situation, leading authorities to airlift specialist firefighters from Helsinki and Turku to assist local responders.

Due to the heightened risk of explosion, crews avoided using water to extinguish the blaze. Instead, firefighters and ship personnel filled the affected container with sand to suppress the fire safely.

As a precaution, officials cordoned off the western section of the port while investigators began examining the likely cause of the incident.

Photo credit: Wladyslaw Sojka. All rights reserved.