A fire in an elevator at the General Hospital of Thessaloniki (PAGNI) has sparked concern and strong reactions from hospital staff. The Hospital Employees’ Union has issued a stark warning about serious deficiencies in the hospital’s fire safety infrastructure, citing long-standing, unresolved issues.
Fire Contained — But Safety Failures Exposed
The incident, which occurred recently, was brought under control before escalating—thanks, staff say, to their immediate response. However, they argue the event laid bare critical failures in fire prevention and emergency systems. According to the union’s statement released late Wednesday, 9 July 2026, significant gaps were identified during initial firefighting efforts—before the arrival of the Hellenic Fire Service.
Specifically, staff reported that:
- In one fire hydrant station, the hose had no water supply;
- In another, there was no hose at all;
- Due to ongoing construction of a new hospital building, emergency vehicles had no direct access to the site.
Systemic Strain on Public Healthcare
The union describes the incident as yet another symptom of deep-rooted problems facing Greece’s public hospitals—including chronic underfunding, understaffing, and poor maintenance of facilities. In its statement, it lists a range of interconnected challenges: aging infrastructure, depleted technical services, inadequate fire safety measures, overcrowded corridors, prolonged waits in emergency departments, long surgical waiting lists, outdated medical equipment, and rising out-of-pocket costs for patients.
“Well-known problems remain unresolved,” the union notes, pointing to decades of deterioration in technical support services—a decline that now hampers even basic preventive maintenance of critical electromechanical systems.
Broad Implications for Emergency Preparedness
Staff link these fire safety shortcomings directly to wider systemic weaknesses: staffing shortages, extended emergency department wait times, surgical backlogs, and obsolete equipment. They warn that understaffing—combined with precarious employment contracts—undermines both prevention and the effective execution of emergency response plans, increasing the risk of dangerous situations.
At the same time, the union highlights a growing trend: private contractors and companies are increasingly involved—not only in technical maintenance but also in delivering healthcare services inside public hospitals themselves.