Fire engulfs Athens café where Pëllumb Islami was murdered, authorities probe arson

A large fire broke out in the early hours of Monday morning at a café on Kastamonis street in the Nea Ionia district of Athens, panicking residents and causing extensive material damage. The flames, which started on the ground floor, quickly spread to the three upper floors of the building, forcing residents to evacuate urgently.

Eighteen firefighters with five vehicles, along with a special ladder truck, intervened to extinguish the flames and carry out the search-and-rescue operation. Emergency teams managed to bring several residents to safety who had been trapped on balconies or were trying to make their way through the intense smoke. Residents of the area told reporters the fire was preceded by a powerful explosion on the ground floor.

The premises where the incident occurred are the same venue where, on 22 February 2023, 37-year-old Albanian Pëllumb Islami was shot dead.

Greek authorities have launched an investigation to determine the full causes of the explosion, while examining whether the incident is linked to a technical defect such as a gas-canister explosion or whether it is a case of intentional arson with a criminal background.