Six Danes killed in Easter weekend fire

Swedish police continue to investigate holiday tragedy that left four adults and two children dead

Swedish police continue to investigate the cause of the fire that claimed the lives of six Danes at a rustic cottage in Tidaholm, Sweden.

Police said that foul play was not suspected and that they were focusing on the cottage’s fireplace and the possible use of candles. The building, which was completely destroyed, had no electricity or plumbing.

Malene Houdorf Madsen, her husband Hans Vt Veer and their two daughters, Nanna and Sarah died in the fire. Mikkel Keiser-Nielsen and his new wife also perished in the flames.

The fire apparently started late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, but was not discovered until later on Easter morning. The building's remains were still too hot for investigators to examine until later that evening. 

Swedish authorities said there is nothing left of the building, making it nearly impossible to dtermine the exact cause of the fire.

One investigator speculated that the victims died of smoke inhalation while they slept. There were no smoke alarms in the building.





  • How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    How internationals can benefit from joining trade unions

    Being part of a trade union is a long-established norm for Danes. But many internationals do not join unions – instead enduring workers’ rights violations. Find out how joining a union could benefit you, and how to go about it.

  • Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals in Denmark rarely join a trade union

    Internationals are overrepresented in the lowest-paid fields of agriculture, transport, cleaning, hotels and restaurants, and construction – industries that classically lack collective agreements. A new analysis from the Workers’ Union’s Business Council suggests that internationals rarely join trade unions – but if they did, it would generate better industry standards.

  • Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    Novo Nordisk overtakes LEGO as the most desirable future workplace amongst university students

    The numbers are especially striking amongst the 3,477 business and economics students polled, of whom 31 percent elected Novo Nordisk as their favorite, compared with 20 percent last year.