A man, about 70, is suspected of igniting a fire in his own apartment in Pähkinänrinne, Vantaa, early on Tuesday morning.

Police believe he intended to burn the building down.

The emergency response center advised residents to stay in their apartments and wait for the rescue department to escort them out safely. The rescue department arrived at the scene around 06:00 in the morning. However, a Somali family of six—two adults between 30 and 40 years old, three children aged 3, 6 and 8, and a baby—panicked and decided to flee via the stairwell. Five family members died from inhaling smoke.

But the baby survived and was taken to the hospital.

Photograph: Stock

“The family was no more a target than anyone else in the house,” said Detective Inspector Sanna Rentola from the Eastern Uusimaa Police Department at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. “The targets were all the people who were in danger.”

When the police and rescue department arrived, the man in his 70s, a native Finn, approached the officers and admitted his connection to starting the fire.

The police apprehended him. He is now suspected of five counts of murder and aggravated criminal mischief. Authorities did not comment on the suspect’s state of mind.

“Is it possible that there is a racist motive here?” a journalist asked.

“No,” Rentola replied.