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Patient Questioned Over Sismanoglio Hospital Fire
🇬🇷 Greece /Health & Science

Patient Questioned Over Sismanoglio Hospital Fire

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Under investigation
  • A 74-year-old patient is being questioned by authorities in connection with a fire that broke out at Sismanoglio Hospital.
  • The fire, which started in a hospital bed, caused significant damage to a ward but was quickly contained by staff.
  • Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis praised the hospital staff's swift response, which prevented casualties, and indicated the fire may have been deliberately set.

Authorities are investigating a fire that erupted at Sismanoglio Hospital, with a 74-year-old patient taken in for questioning. The blaze began early on July 8, 2026, in a ward on the first floor, reportedly starting from a mattress on the middle bed where the suspect patient was housed. The patient allegedly disappeared immediately after the incident.

From a fire in a mattress, the fire started.

— Adonis GeorgiadisDescribing the origin of the fire at Sismanoglio Hospital.

Two other patients were in the same ward. One managed to evacuate independently, while a nurse moved the second, who has serious health issues, along with his bed, preventing injury. The 74-year-old suspect is currently at the Arson Crimes Directorate of the Fire Service for questioning.

The patient who was in it had left. According to what I learn from the Police, he stated that he saw a strange dream and then realized it had caught fire and left, he got scared. I don't know, the investigation will tell.

— Adonis GeorgiadisRecounting the suspect patient's alleged actions and state of mind.

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, who visited the hospital, stated the fire originated from a mattress. He noted that the patient involved "saw a strange dream and then realized it had caught fire and left, he got scared." Georgiadis emphasized that the hospital sustained severe damage, with an entire clinic destroyed and requiring complete reconstruction.

The hospital has suffered serious damage, an entire clinic has been destroyed and we have to rebuild it from scratch.

— Adonis GeorgiadisAssessing the extent of the damage caused by the fire.

Despite the damage, Georgiadis commended the hospital staff for their immediate and effective response, which he described as exemplary amidst a "sudden, very great misfortune, the product of obvious criminal activity that remains to be proven." He added that the hospital was "lucky" as all patients were safely transferred. The minister pointed out that the absence of flammable materials in the ward suggests the mattress was intentionally set ablaze.

We were lucky because all patients were transferred safely.

— Adonis GeorgiadisExpressing relief that no lives were lost due to the fire.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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