An explosion shook the Joroinen hotel Joronjälki on Saturday around noon. The blast damaged the hotel building and vehicles in the parking area.
Hotel owner Auvo Puurtinen estimates damages at approximately 200,000 euros. Eight cars were parked outside during the incident, including Puurtinen's own vehicle. Hotel windows shattered from the force.
Police later confirmed two fatalities at the scene. Puurtinen learned about the deaths during his interview with media.
"This is truly unfortunate," Puurtinen stated.
The exploded van reportedly belonged to a foreign construction company. Puurtinen wasn't present during the blast but arrived after authorities.
"Car parts flew to the other side of the hotel," he described. "The air blast was powerful."
Some people mistakenly believed Puurtinen had died in the explosion.
"My wife received condolence messages," he revealed.
Despite the damage, Puurtinen expects current guests to return to their rooms tonight. Some Saturday reservations were canceled, and no new bookings will be accepted this weekend.
Puurtinen maintains a positive outlook despite the challenges.
"This industry requires positive thinking," he explained. "If you start worrying, you might lose spirit. We just need to move forward and get to work."
Witnesses reported the explosion felt over a kilometer away. Antti Viljakainen heard the blast from his farm two kilometers distant and saw black smoke rising.
"It took me two minutes to reach the scene," Viljakainen said. He found a burning van and called emergency services at 12:21, though others had already reported the incident.
Jiri Leppänen, living about a kilometer away, described hearing "quite a thud" that shook his two-story building's structures and windows.
Emergency vehicles arrived several minutes after the explosion, prompting questions about response times.
The hotel owner plans immediate repairs once authorities complete their investigation. The quick recovery effort shows remarkable resilience following the tragic incident.