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Sean's Opening Story: Ice hotel to prep for fire hazard

The hotel in the small Arctic town of Jukkasjaervi which is rebuilt every winter using only ice, ...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.11 18 Nov 2013


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Sean's Opening Story:...

Sean's Opening Story: Ice hotel to prep for fire hazard

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.11 18 Nov 2013


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The hotel in the small Arctic town of Jukkasjaervi which is rebuilt every winter using only ice, said Thursday it would install fire alarms this year.

A request came in from local authorities to guarantee the safety of its guests.

"We were a little surprised at first, but the reason is that there are things that can actually catch fire, like pillows, sleeping bags or reindeer skins," hotel spokeswoman Beatrice Karlsson said.

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"To us the most important concern is the safety of our clients, so we will comply," she added.

Tourists come from all over the world to sleep on an ice bed in temperatures as low as minus eight degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit).

The alarms, which were already tested last winter with the local fire department, have made construction of the hotel, conceived as a work of art, even harder than before.

"The environment is humid, and ice and snow... move, so it had to be taken into account," Karlsson said.

"It's been a challenge for our building team, but it made us one experience richer."


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