Mystery with a strong smell that arrived in Helsinki from St. Petersburg – Investigations by the Finnish authorities

There is no immediate indication that the smell is dangerous to health

A strong smell resembling that of sulphur or burnt rubber has been detected in the area around Finland’s capital Helsinki, the city’s emergency response department said today.

Several people reported the smell in an area stretching at least 60 kilometres along Finland’s southern coastline, the department said.

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“The department and other authorities are investigating the case,” it wrote in a post on X.

There is no immediate indication that the smell is a health hazard, it added.

Russian media outlet Fontanka reported at the same time today that residents in several areas of St Petersburg, the Russian city closest to Finland, complained of an unpleasant smell, comparing it to that of gas, garbage or burning rubber.

According to local authorities cited by Fontanka, monitoring stations have not recorded anything above permissible levels of air pollution.