Eino Sarri: The WWII Veteran Who Never Left S.K. Mansion
Who was Eino Saari?
Long before visitors came to the S.K. Pierce Mansion hoping to communicate with Eino Saari, he was a WWII veteran and an auto mechanic.
Born in Gardner, Massachusetts on May 6, 1914, Eino was the son of Finnish immigrants Matt Saari and Anna Salo. He served in World War II, where he was reportedly injured.
According to S.K. Pierce Mansion caretaker Marion Luoma, Eino’s niece told her that his wartime injuries left him with a metal plate in his head.
Years later, Eino found himself back in Gardner. By then, the grand S.K. Pierce Mansion had been converted into a boarding house. Eino rented a room from Edward Pierce and made the mansion his home.
It would also become the place he spent his final night.
What Happened to Eino Saari at the S.K. Pierce Mansion?
On April 9, 1963, 48-year-old Eino was in his room when his mattress caught fire.
Over the years, different versions of what happened that night have circulated. One story suggests that Eino, who worked as a mechanic, had spilled accelerant on his clothing earlier in the day before later smoking in bed.
Another, more sensational version of the story claims Eino died from spontaneous human combustion.
Marion is quick to correct that version of events.
“Eino Saari burned to death in there, he did not spontaneously combust,” she says.
His death certificate provides a more straightforward explanation. It states that Eino’s mattress caught fire from a cigarette. It lists his causes of death as smoke inhalation and third-degree burns.
The fire took Eino’s life, but remarkably, it didn’t destroy the mansion. The damage remained largely contained to his room.
Today, a piece of burned wood from the fire and a copy of Eino’s death certificate remain for visitors, helping to tell the story inside the room where he died.
Does Eino Saari Still Haunt the S.K. Pierce Mansion?
More than 60 years after his death, visitors and paranormal investigators continue to report experiences they associate with Eino.
Even skeptics sometimes leave the mansion questioning what they experienced. When asked which areas seem to have the biggest effect on visitors, Marion named Eino’s room as one of them.
“Eino is very standoffish,” Marion said.
That doesn’t stop visitors from leaving gifts in his room, including cigarettes, vapes, alcohol and other offerings. In fact, Marion says Eino receives so many gifts that they regularly have to move them from the top of his bureau into drawers.
For Marion, those offerings are part of something bigger: treating the spirits believed to remain in the mansion with respect.
“It’s where Eino Saari passed away,” Marion said. “It’s their home. We’re all just guests in their home.”
Eino’s Suite Is Just the Beginning
IIs Eino’s spirit still in the room where he spent his final night?
There is only one way to form your own opinion.
Visit the S.K. Pierce Haunted Victorian Mansion in Gardner, Massachusetts, step inside Eino’s suite for yourself and explore one of New England’s most talked-about haunted destinations.
Eino is only one of the spirits visitors report encountering within its walls. Come explore the mansion, hear the stories, and decide for yourself what still lingers here.
Contact our team at 978-224-8944 to book a tour. You may leave with an Eino story of your own.
