Analysis of a Maintenance Fire in a Theatre in Italy

Between November 11 and 12, 2025, a significant fire occurred at the “Ciotolone” Theatre, situated within the esteemed Le Ciminiere cultural and exhibition complex in Catania. The incident transpired during extraordinary maintenance work on the theater’s roof, which accommodates 1.200 spectators. This event underscores the paramount significance of construction site safety and the safeguarding of historic and cultural infrastructure during such operations.

The building

Catania’s sulphur refineries were constructed in the latter half of the 19th century within an industrial district situated near the city’s central station and port.

These facilities were developed through the collaboration of Anglo-Sicilian business groups and local merchants, who erected furnaces, warehouses, and milling plants to process the sulphur extracted from the mines of the Sicilian hinterland.

The complex encompassed numerous hectares, featuring brick and lava stone structures and numerous tall chimneys dedicated to the dispersion of processing fumes.

The Ciminiere area currently stands as one of the most prominent examples of industrial archaeology in Southern Italy. Following the sulphur industry crisis in the mid-20th century, the structures were abandoned for several decades and subsequently reclaimed from the 1980s onwards through redevelopment and cultural enhancement projects.

The “Ciotolone” theatre building within Catania’s Ciminiere is not classified as a historic building under the conventional legal framework. Instead, it forms part of an architectural complex constructed between the late 20th century and the 2000s, reclaiming the former industrial structures of Catania’s former sulphur refinery.

Today, the Ciminiere constitute one of the city’s most prominent cultural centres, housing museums, auditoriums, and exhibition spaces. However, the theatre damaged by the fire does not constitute an architectural testament to a preceding historical era. Rather, it serves as an illustration of industrial redevelopment with contemporary cultural significance.

The fire

Initial reconstructions suggest that the fire originated during waterproofing operations on the wooden roof. It is believed to have been accidentally ignited by a flame used by workers, which subsequently ignited construction materials or the wooden roofing structures. The flames rapidly engulfed the wooden cladding and bituminous materials, spreading rapidly due to the combustibility of the involved materials.

The fire, detected around 5:15 PM on November 11, developed rapidly, becoming visible from a considerable distance due to the intensity and height of the flames. Three firefighting teams responded to the scene. The extinguishing operations, which persisted throughout the night, were concluded only at dawn on November 12, following a demanding coordinated effort that successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent museum buildings.

Damage and structural consequences

The damage is extremely severe: the first and second floors of the theatre were destroyed, particularly the wooden dome and the cladding, which experienced partial structural collapse. The ground floor, constructed of reinforced concrete, endured the consequences without any collapses. Partial collapses of sections of the ceiling and of the scaffolding employed for the work were reported; however, fortunately, no workers were injured or poisoned due to the prompt evacuation of the construction site.

Causes and safety implications

To date, the causes of the fire remain officially under investigation, but all sources concur that the fire was ignited by hot work on combustible elements. This incident once again underscores the necessity of implementing the following measures:

• Specific fire prevention strategies during renovations, particularly in the presence of wooden structures;
• Rigorous control procedures when using open-flame equipment;
• The provision of timely extinguishing systems, including on temporary construction sites, accompanied by worker training;
• Preventive fire risk assessments, particularly in contexts of historical and cultural significance.