A major fire broke out in the early hours at Athens’ Sismanoglou Hospital, sending thick black smoke through corridors and triggering panic among patients. The blaze, which began shortly before 5 a.m., originated in a patient’s mattress on the premises of the First Department of Internal Medicine. Patients reported waking to find hallways filled with smoke and evacuating on their own—many without prior warning.
Panic and Evacuation
Distressing scenes unfolded as patients—some still connected to IV drips—were seen gathered in the hospital courtyard minutes after the fire started. Witnesses described people descending stairwells blindly amid dense smoke that quickly overwhelmed multiple floors.
Rapid Response and Containment
Twenty-eight firefighters responded with seven vehicles, including a specialized aerial ladder truck and a heavy-duty boom vehicle. They managed to contain the fire swiftly, preventing it from spreading further across the facility.
Origin and Investigation
The patient whose mattress caught fire was later located at his home and taken in for questioning. According to initial statements to police, he claimed he had seen the mattress ignite in a dream, panicked, and left the hospital before alerting staff.
Health Minister’s Statement
Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis confirmed the fire began inside a patient room and stressed that nursing staff reacted immediately, safely evacuating all patients in an orderly manner—including breaking windows to vent smoke. He clarified that reports of a woman suffering cardiac arrest due to smoke inhalation were inaccurate: the 90-year-old patient, already in critical condition, was the first to be transferred—and passed away later, unrelated to smoke exposure.
Georgiadis described the incident as an unprecedented event stemming from what appears to be a criminal act—though investigators are still determining intent and responsibility. ‘Someone set fire to a mattress,’ he stated. ‘One clinic has been destroyed by this sudden, criminal incident. Fortunately, fire suppression systems activated immediately. The fire had grown large enough to potentially consume half the hospital—human lives were at serious risk.’