70-year-old arrested for negligent arson after wasp-burning attempt causes factory fire in Thessaloniki

The incident

On 9 July 2026, a fire broke out in an agricultural plot at the intersection of Kapetan Agra and Davaki streets in Kalochori, a suburb of Thessaloniki. A 70-year-old man was attempting to drive away wasps by setting fire to a piece of paper. The flames quickly spread to dry grass, rubbish, pallets, and plastics in the yard of a nearby tile workshop. Within minutes, the fire entered the workshop's interior, causing near-total destruction of the facility. Adjacent warehouses were also damaged.

Firefighting response

The fire service dispatched between 18 and 30 firefighters with 7 to 12 vehicles, along with water tankers from the Delta municipality and the Central Macedonia Region. Aerial support was provided by one aircraft or helicopter. An emergency alert was issued via the 112 system. Firefighters managed to contain the blaze within the business premises, preventing it from spreading to neighboring factories and residential areas behind the workshop. By late afternoon, the fire was reported to be in recession, with crews working to extinguish remaining hotspots.

Legal consequences

The 70-year-old was arrested under the flagrante delicto procedure and charged with negligent arson. Authorities also imposed an administrative fine of €5,886.56 for violating fire safety legislation. The investigation was conducted by the Fire Service's Investigative Unit for Arson Crimes.

Damage and containment

Initial assessments indicate the factory suffered almost complete destruction. No injuries were reported. The rapid response of the fire service was credited with averting a wider disaster in the densely built-up area.