A severe fire destroyed an industrial building in Trollhättan, Sweden on Sunday morning. Police are investigating the blaze as suspected arson.
The fire alarm came from Håjum industrial area during Sunday morning. Smoke development was heavy, and rescue services issued a VMA alert. VMA stands for 'Viktigt Meddelande till Allmänheten,' meaning 'Important Message to the Public' in Sweden's emergency warning system.
Authorities advised all area residents to go indoors. They told people to close windows, doors and ventilation systems.
The alert was lifted Sunday afternoon. Rescue services then began withdrawing personnel from the scene.
Fire and rescue official Ulrik Olsson said crews were conducting mop-up operations. 'We are working on extinguishing remaining hot spots,' Olsson said in a statement. 'The building burned down to its foundation, but we managed to save adjacent buildings.'
He estimated mop-up operations would continue for several more hours. No injuries have been reported.
Industrial fires in Sweden often draw intense scrutiny due to potential environmental impacts. The quick escalation to an arson investigation suggests authorities have specific reasons to suspect foul play.