Motorhome driver rescued from toilet after vehicle overturns

On Wednesday evening, a caravan caught fire while being towed on Highway 7 in Finland, igniting the towing van. Two people and three dogs escaped unharmed, but both vehicles were destroyed. Five fire units from Karhula and Hamina responded. The cause is unknown. This is the second vehicle fire on the same road in 1.5 weeks.

On the evening of January 20, a caravan caught fire on the E18 motorway at the border of Hamina and Virolahti, and the flames spread to the towing van. The fire started around 19:00, and no injuries were reported.

Overnight stays in motorhomes and caravans outside designated campsites are dividing opinions. Nokian Uutiset investigates where wild camping occurs and what experiences have been gathered. The closure of the Viinikanniemi campsite after rezoning for detached housing is noted as background.

Finland's caravan association SF-Caravan urges cities to create official motorhome parking areas, as many travellers prefer to stay in city centres for access to services and cultural events. A study shows each caravaner leaves over 100 euros in the host locality. In Lahti and Lappeenranta, unofficial spots are popular, but Lappeenranta now charges 8 euros for 12 hours, with only trash bins provided. Pieksämäki offers free parking since 2024 but will introduce fees after installing electricity in 2025.

Finland has sharply increased the fuel tax for diesel motorhomes. Kempele resident Jani Karenlampi keeps his motorhome parked almost all year to save money. The registration fee is 7 euros, but the new fuel tax makes operation significantly more expensive.

A severe building fire occurred in Kotka on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in one person being transported to hospital by a medical helicopter. The fire spread to the roof of a detached house from a motorhome parked in the yard, where it started. The motorhome was completely destroyed, and the house was left uninhabitable. Twelve fire service units responded to the incident.