Panic unfolded at Sismanogleio General Hospital in Attica after a fire broke out in a room in the First Internal Medicine Clinic, causing extensive damage to the ward.

The fire started at around 5am on Thursday in a room on the hospital’s first floor, with flames reportedly originating from a bed mattress.

The swift response of hospital staff and the Fire Service prevented a major disaster, with patients safely evacuated and the blaze quickly brought under control.

Officers from the Attica DIAS motorcycle police unit, in coordination with the Fire Service, took a 74-year-old man in for questioning as investigators examine whether he was connected to the fire at Sismanogleio Hospital.

Police said the man was located at his home in Nea Filadelfeia and handed over to the Fire Service’s Arson Crimes Directorate (DAEE), which is investigating the cause of the blaze.

According to reports, the man had been receiving treatment for a medical condition in the first-floor room where the fire broke out.

An inspection of the scene indicated the fire appears to have started from the middle bed in the room, which had been occupied by the 74-year-old, who reportedly left the hospital after the incident.

Two other patients were also in the room. One was able to evacuate the hospital unaided, while the second, who has serious health issues, was moved to safety by a nurse along with his hospital bed. No injuries were reported.

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis attended the scene, describing the incident as extremely serious and warning it could have ended in tragedy.

“An entire ward has been destroyed by a sudden incident, and it remains to be determined whether it was a criminal act,” Georgiadis said.

“Fortunately, the fire suppression systems activated immediately. The fire spread rapidly and could have destroyed half the hospital.”

The minister said the fire started in a hospital bed where there was no oxygen supply, raising further questions about how the blaze began.

“Just before 5am, a bed in a hospital room caught fire. The nurse on duty noticed it immediately and saw the bed engulfed in flames. There was no oxygen supply there. Someone set the mattress on fire—it remains to be determined whether it was a criminal act,” he said.

According to Georgiadis, the patient who had occupied the bed had already left the hospital and was later located by police at his home.

The Fire Service’s investigative unit is examining all possible causes of the fire.

According to police sources, a person considered a suspect was taken in for questioning and handed over to Fire Service investigators. Initial assessments suggest the blaze may have been caused by a cigarette, although the investigation is continuing.

A patient who was being treated in a neighbouring room described the dramatic moments after the fire broke out.

“Around 5am the fire started. We heard a nurse shouting ‘fire’. Within seconds the entire floor filled with smoke. I grabbed my IV drip and ran towards the exit,” the patient said.

The witness described the challenges faced during the evacuation, noting that many patients were elderly or had mobility issues.

“There were many disabled patients, elderly people and others who couldn’t move easily. The corridor was filled with smoke. Thankfully, we knew the evacuation route and managed to get out of the building,” they said.

A total of 28 firefighters and seven fire trucks, including specialist aerial appliances, responded to the incident.

Patients on the first floor, as well as those on the floors above, were evacuated as a precaution, while hospital staff played a crucial role in ensuring everyone was moved to safety.