A fire broke out early on Thursday morning on the first floor of Sismanogleio General Hospital in Athens leading to evacuation of patients and probably to the death of a 90-year-old woman.

A 74-year-old patient has been detained as the main suspect for the fire. He is being accused of smoking in the room and a cigarette set the mattress on fire.

The blaze erupted at around 05:00 in the morning in a room on the first floor of the hospital, where three patients were being treated.

According to the fire service, the room was completely destroyed, but the fire did not spread to other parts of the hospital.

As a precaution, about 35 patients from the first floor and another 35 from the second floor were evacuated.

A total of 28 firefighters, supported by seven fire engines and two special vehicles, were deployed to extinguish the fire.

The Attica Arson Crimes Investigation Unit has been dispatched to the hospital to investigate the cause of the fire.