At 02.57 on Wednesday morning, the first alarm came from a passerby – Åsarna ski center was on fire.
Despite a major rescue effort, where forces from several different locations fought against the open flames, it was clear that it was not possible to limit the fire’s violent progress.
– It was a quick process. When the first force arrived at the scene, it had spread from the tent where it all started to the main building, says Mats Kronsten, internal commander at the rescue service in Jämtland.
The building could not be saved, and instead the focus shifted to trying to protect cars and smaller houses in the immediate area.
– The building has burned down. The entire main building with the ski shop and restaurant. So we are still there now with a force and carrying out post-extinguishing, says Mats Kronsten.
The skiing legend: “It’s boring”
Åsarna’s ski center was started in 1986 by skiing legends Torgny Mogren, Thomas Wassberg and Jan Ottosson.
The home club, Åsarna IK, is one of the most classic ski clubs in Sweden with loads of SM gold and last weekend they celebrated William Poromaa’s WC bronze in the five mile in Slovenia.
– There are a lot of memories from there. I helped build that, so it’s sad in that way. There has been some skiing history there. It’s boring, it’s boring, says skiing legend Thomas Wassberg to Expressen.
There are no reports that people were injured in the fire, but the police have opened a preliminary investigation into arson.
The ski center will be missed, according to Mats Kronsten at the rescue service.
– The hills are a gathering point for the village. It was an important building both for the village and the community, he says.
See images from the fire in the player above.