October 13, 2026

Athens News

News in English from Greece

Fire at Sismanoglio: the patient admitted that he deliberately set fire to the mattress


At the Sismanoglio Hospital in Athens, a patient deliberately set fire to a mattress in his ward.. The fire was localized, but amid evacuation an elderly woman died.

The fire broke out at about 05:00 on July 9 in the ward of the first therapeutic department, where there were three patients. The room burned out completely, but the flames did not spread to other parts of the building.

Due to thick smoke, personnel removed approximately 35 patients from the first and another 35 from the second floor. According to ERTtwo patients required assistance due to breathing problems.

28 firefighters, seven vehicles, a ladder truck and a special lift took part in the fire extinguishing effort. Firefighters managed to prevent the fire from spreading beyond the ward.

The version about the cigarette gave way to a confession of arson

It was initially reported that a cigarette may have been the cause. However, the patient later admitted that deliberately set the mattress on fire with a lighterafter which he left the hospital and went home to Near Philadelphia.

How it conveys SKAIhe was charged with deliberate arson and causing significant damage. The suspect gave various explanations, including complaining that he was allegedly not given enough attention.

The cause of death of the patient is being established

After the evacuation began, the 83-year-old patient, who was initially described as 90-year-old, went into cardiac arrest. Doctors intubated the woman, but they could not save her.

Her son stated that the attack occurred when the mother was taken out of the room after the oxygen was turned off. Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, on the contrary, said that the woman did not inhale smoke, was one of the first to be evacuated and her death was not related to the fire.

The exact cause must be determined by investigation and forensic examination. Until they are completed, it is premature to say that the woman died directly due to the fire.

Editorial comment

The quick response of the staff prevented the fire from spreading, but the circumstances of the patient’s death require a separate and transparent review. One mattress on fire put dozens of people at risk, many of whom were physically unable to leave the building without assistance.



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