Sannazaro Historic Theater Fire – Naples, Italy

On Tuesday, February 17, 2026, a fire broke out at approximately 6:00-6:30 AM at the historic Teatro Sannazaro located in the central Chiaia district of Naples. The alarm was raised by local residents who noticed very high flames visible from surrounding streets.

Three fire brigade teams with water tankers and multiple vehicles responded to the scene. As of the morning reports, firefighting operations were still ongoing.

First damage assessment

The fire rapidly spread to and destroyed the theater’s dome (cupola), which subsequently collapsed onto the auditorium seating area below. The structural impact has been significant: the flames affected a large portion of the building structure, with damage also reported to adjacent buildings.

The fire generated a massive smoke column visible from various areas of the city, making the air “unbreathable” throughout the Chiaia neighborhood.

Four people suffered minor smoke inhalation and were transported to hospital in yellow code (non-life-threatening) condition. Additional residents reported respiratory difficulties; many stayed indoors with windows closed and handkerchiefs over their faces, while no fatalities have been reported.

15 families have been evacuated, for a total of about 60-70 people.

Preliminary Cause

According to unofficial information from investigative sources, the fire appears to have been caused by an electrical cause, in particular by a According to unofficial information from investigative sources, the fire appears to have been caused by an electrical fault, specifically a short circuit.

Police are conducting investigations to determine the precise origin and dynamics of the blaze. Intentional act seems to be not ruled out.

Cultural Significance

The Teatro Sannazaro (nicknamed the jewel box of Via Chiaia) was inaugurated with a Grand Soirée on 26 December 1847. It is a historic and landmark venue in Neapoli-tan theatrical tradition, particularly associated with Neapolitan comedy and the city’s theatrical heritage.

The theater hosted some of the most important figures in Italian and international theater: actresses and actors such as Eleonora Duse, Tina Di Lorenzo, Ermete Novelli, Emma Grammatica, and Ruggero Ruggeri. It also became famous for its technicians, having hosted the installation of the city’s first 10-kW electrical substation.

Until February 16th, the theater, magnificently decorated in white and gold, had four tiers of boxes at the stalls level. The Royal Box remained in its original structure, while the interiors retained their original splendor. The ceiling featured Palliotti’s splendid frescoes.

Current Status

The situation is described as “under control” and according to the commander of the Naples Fire Department “The theater is no longer there, it’s all burned. When we arrived, the situation was already quite compromised”. The commander added that “the entire stage was burned, the theater is completely damaged.“

Social media has been flooded with images of the fire, with the news spreading rapidly throughout Naples and beyond.

This is a developing story and represents a significant loss to Naples’ cultural heritage.

The Teatro Sannazaro joins the growing list of heritage theater and cultural building fires, highlighting the persistent vulnerability of historic performance venues to electrical system failures.