Kiruna, northern Sweden. The morning of April 26, 1915, the small mining town’s train station burns down unexpectedly. Before the fire started, some locals report seeing a strange man-sized bird in the area. It would keep flying over the building as the blaze continued.

The old wooden station served as a stop on the Iron Ore Line which was through the process of electrification, a possible cause for the fire. It is unclear if the creature caused it, but many said it was trying to warn people of the coming danger. (Picture from January 1915)

The creature was described as large, with no neck and red glowing eyes. Older locals said it was a Varsel-fågel, or “omen-bird”, a creature from Swedish folklore. Some today associate it with the American legend of Mothman. As soon as the smoke cleared, it was gone.

_{© Eduardo Valdés-Hevia}

_{Image sources: Järnvägsmuseet, Pixabay.}