Salamina: major fire near the Naval Base

A major fire broke out on Tuesday 25 August 2026 at a site where rubbish, old batteries and materials awaiting disposal had accumulated, near the boundaries of the Salamina Naval Base. As for the time it started, the first reports diverge: some sources place it around 16:40, while others put it around 17:10, a discrepancy of about half an hour that has not been officially clarified by the authorities. Thick black smoke rose over Salamina and was visible from a great distance, even from points on the opposite coast, while residents reported hearing explosions coming from inside the area with the rubbish, which increased the initial panic in the area.

According to the Fire Service, more than 80 firefighters with three ground crew teams, 25 vehicles, three helicopters and three aircraft operated in the firefighting effort, one of the largest mobilisations of forces in Attica that day. The sources disagree, however, on whether a 112 message was sent: one reports that an evacuation message was sent for the settlements of Vasilika and Nea Salamina, while the other makes no mention of such a message at all, a discrepancy that remains unconfirmed and has not been clarified publicly. Due to the nature of the material burning, with batteries and materials awaiting disposal, an investigative team was mobilised to look into the causes of the fire, while the proximity to the Salamina Naval Base increased the intensity of the operation and led to close coordination between the Fire Service and the military authorities of the area.

The Salamina fire comes amid a wider context of intense firefighting activity in Attica, following the fire in an abandoned building in Piraeus in previous days and the 49 rural and forest fires recorded nationwide in a 24-hour period. The presence of batteries and rubbish at the site raises questions about the environmental burden on the area, as the burning of such materials can release hazardous substances into the atmosphere and the ground around the site. For residents of Salamina, the proximity of the site to residential areas and to the Naval Base makes the incident particularly sensitive, both in terms of security and public health, while it also revives old questions about waste management on the island.

By late Tuesday afternoon, no injury and no damage assessment had been announced by the Fire Service or the 112 system. The investigative team is expected to look into whether the fire started accidentally or is related to the way the material was stored at the site, with initial findings expected in the coming days. It has also not been clarified whether an evacuation of residential areas was ultimately needed, given the contradiction in the first reports regarding the 112 message, while the authorities are expected to give a fuller picture once the firefighting operation is complete. Residents of Salamina remained on standby, following developments around the site with the rubbish and awaiting official information on the full extent of the incident.