Thessaloniki arsonist who set six fires in four days ordered held in pre-trial detention

The fires

A 59-year-old man confessed to setting six fires in agricultural areas of Sindos, a western suburb of Thessaloniki, between August 8 and August 11, 2026. The fires targeted dry grass, reeds, and farmland along Pontou Street and surrounding areas. Security camera footage obtained by investigators shows the man parking his blue car, stepping out, bending down to ignite dry vegetation with paper napkins he had brought as kindling, and then driving away as smoke rises behind him. He repeated this pattern at multiple locations over those days, moving from spot to spot by car. Before departing each scene, he waited to confirm the fire had taken hold, then drove off to repeat the process elsewhere.

Arrest and charges

The suspect was arrested on Wednesday, August 12, after fire service investigators identified him from the video evidence. He was charged with felony-level arson by intent committed repeatedly. During his pre-trial hearing on Friday, August 14, he testified for approximately one hour before the 2nd Regular Investigator of Thessaloniki. He appeared without a lawyer, and one was appointed by the prosecution. After the hearing, the investigator and prosecutor agreed to order his pre-trial detention, and he was taken to prison.

The suspect's explanation

During his testimony, the man repeated his claim that he set the fires because he felt pressure from his work, attributing his actions to "stupidity." He asked for forgiveness. In one case, he said, he had consumed two glasses of retsina wine and was not fully aware of what he was doing. According to Mega TV, he told the prosecutor:

“I wanted to unwind from work. Yesterday I took leave from work and left early. When I woke up in the afternoon, I drank two glasses of retsina. When I finished with the drink, I took my car to go for a drive. I took with me several paper napkins to use to set fires. Out of stupidity I was setting the fires. I was releasing the fatigue I had from my work. I had no particular reason for causing them nor did I want to take revenge on anyone.”

When the investigator asked how it was possible to set six fires because of work pressure and "stupidity," the man gave no answer and only shook his head.

Impact and ongoing investigation

The fires prompted significant emergency responses. In one instance, the fire service requested the interruption of rail traffic on the Thessaloniki-Athens line that passes through Sindos, halting trains on one of Greece's main rail corridors. On Sunday, August 9, a helicopter was mobilized for one of the fires. Authorities are also investigating whether the man is connected to other arsons in the wider area dating back to May 2026. Investigators concluded that his method of operation closely matches five additional arson cases in the region, which are now under examination by the fire service's investigative unit.