Committee to Examine Nokia Water Disaster

Finland's Accident Investigation Board has appointed an investigation committee to probe the recent case of water contamination in Nokia. Police Commissioner Pekka Aho of Jyväskylä will serve as chair of the committee. Other members include Hannu Rantanen, a research manager at the Emergency Services College and Tarja Wiikinkoski, a senior inspector at the Western Finland Regional Environment Centre. The group is scheduled to meet next week for the first time, and will investigate the cause of the contamination, as well as how the disaster was handled. According to Kai Valonen, a chief accident investigator at the Accident Investigation Board, the committee is composed of just three experts in order to remain effective. However, he said that the board has the right to draw on outside expert advice. The Accident Investigation Board says the water contamination in Nokia was a major disaster. Thousands of people fell ill after a repairman opened a valve allowing sewage water to mix with drinking water in late November. Residents in some parts of the town are still advised to boil tap water before use. YLE