Aigaleo plastics plant fire rekindles after roof collapse, fire crews maintain all-night battle

Fire breaks out at Aigaleo plastics factory

At around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, a fire erupted on the first floor of a factory on Orfeos Street in the Aigaleo district west of central Athens. The building stored plastics, paper products and tourist goods. Thick black smoke spread across the area, but all workers evacuated immediately; no injuries or missing persons were reported.

Firefighting response and roof collapse

The Hellenic Fire Service dispatched 35 firefighters, initially with 10 vehicles and a special crane truck, later reinforced to 12 vehicles, along with water tankers from the municipality. Within the first hour, the intense heat caused part of the factory roof to collapse. Reports that propane canisters were inside the burning facility added to safety concerns, prompting a careful approach.

Traffic disruptions and public health warnings

On Tuesday afternoon, police cut vehicle access to Orfeos Street, first from the service road of Kifissou Avenue and later from the height of Agias Annis Street, toward the national road. The closure was imposed both to protect drivers from the dense fumes and to allow fire engines clear passage. Residents were advised to keep windows shut and limit outdoor activity.

Overnight rekindling prolongs the emergency

In the early hours of Wednesday, 24 June, the fire rekindled, likely fed by the large volume of remaining combustible material. The fire service redeployed substantial resources and re-established the traffic cordon. By 07:18 local time, crews were still pouring water onto the site and had not fully contained the blaze. A formal investigation into the cause of the fire is pending.

What we know so far