Woman kills herself by burning in the center of Kokkola

The coastal city of Kokkola in central Ostrobothnia was the scene of a tragic event that shocked the area on Saturday.

A 60-year-old woman died in the city center after setting fire to her clothes in the main square, next to the city hall.

The events occurred at 11:00 in the morning. According to local media reports, the victim, a local woman, emerged from a corner behind the city hall with her clothes on fire in the direction of the sports center. She walked several tens of meters before collapsing.

Two passers-by tried to help her and put out the fire, but to no avail.

She died shortly thereafter from the severity of her burns, the Ostrobothnia Police reported in a brief statement.

Police and members of the emergency service came to the scene to carry out a preliminary investigation.

Mental health support

In a short release, Police said "no crime is suspected" in the case, a phrase commonly used by Finnish authorities in suicide cases. They also said that they will not report further on the matter.

The local authorities offered mental health support to the people who witnessed the events.