German Tourist Caused Apartment Fire in Istria
The fire in Cancini near Poreč caused damage exceeding 400,000 euros, and the owner faces not only material loss but also a lack of support from Booking platform and shocking behavior from guests.
The fire in Cancini near Poreč caused damage exceeding 400,000 euros, and the owner faces not only material loss but also a lack of support from Booking platform and shocking behavior from guests.
A luxury apartment of about 100 square meters in Cancini near Poreč was completely destroyed in a fire started on Tuesday, August 5, 2026, by a 44-year-old German national. The property owner experienced a real nightmare, not only because of the fire but also due to the incredible reaction of the guests who, according to him, danced and mocked him as his property went up in flames.
The police received the fire report at around 5:40 PM. An investigation determined that the fire broke out in the kitchen after heat from the electric stove plate transferred to aluminum material. The fire then spread rapidly to other combustible materials and engulfed a large part of the living space on the upper floor of the house. Fortunately, no injuries were reported in the incident.
A criminal investigation was conducted against the 44-year-old German national on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of endangering life and property by a dangerous act or means. A special report will be submitted to the competent state attorney's office. According to unofficial information from the Istra Terra Magica portal, the fire broke out during food preparation when a pan with potatoes was left on the turned-on electric plate.
According to the owner's account, problems began the day before the fire. The guests arrived at the apartment on Sunday, August 3, and already the next day they began behaving inappropriately. They brought nine additional friends to the accommodation, bringing the total number of people to 13. "I told him that it was strictly forbidden to bring other people not registered in the apartment. He got in my face and said he would do whatever he wanted in the apartment because he had booked it," the owner recounted.
To avoid further conflict, he and his wife briefly went to the sea. Upon their return, they were met with a shocking scene. "When we came back, we heard loud music from the car. There were many people, they were dancing, drinking, and celebrating. I started walking toward them, and then I saw thick black smoke and heard shouts: 'Feuer, Feuer!' That's when I realized the apartment was on fire," he recounted.
What followed completely stunned the owner. "Instead of helping to put out the fire, they continued to party. They laughed, gave me the middle finger, and provoked me while the house was burning. I had the feeling they didn't care at all about what was happening," he said. The outraged owner emphasized that the firefighters did an excellent job, extinguishing the fire in less than half an hour and preventing it from spreading to the rest of the building.
The material loss is enormous. "This wasn't an ordinary apartment. Everything was custom-made-the kitchen, furniture, interior. The furniture alone was worth between 45,000 and 50,000 euros. When you add the value of the property, the damage certainly exceeds 400,000 euros," the owner estimated. Due to the high temperatures the walls were exposed to, only a structural engineer and a court expert will determine whether part of the house can be repaired or if it will need to be completely demolished and rebuilt.
The water used to extinguish the fire also seeped into the ground floor of the house, so the owners don't yet know if they'll be able to restore that part as well. Because of the fire, they had to evict all guests. "Besides the apartment that burned, we had to evict three other families. People simply couldn't stay here anymore. There were no conditions for living. They were our guests who were not at fault for anything, but because of all this, they had to find new accommodation in the middle of their vacation," he lamented. In just one afternoon, almost all reservations until the end of the season were canceled. "For us, the season is over. We live off this all year. Everything we built over the years disappeared in an instant," he concluded.
After the fire, an additional shock came when the guests informed the Booking platform that they could no longer stay at the property. "They told me that if necessary, I might have to pay even for their hotel stay. Imagine the situation. The guests couldn't stay because of the fire, and Booking is asking me to cover their costs," the owner recounted. He added that he immediately reported the entire case to Booking, with whom he has been working for 15 years, but received no concrete help. "They asked me to resend the statement and documentation. I spoke with them, but I got no promise that they would help. They said not to expect material assistance. In short, everything is my problem," he said.
"For years, we did business properly and paid them a lot of money through commissions. Today, when such a tragedy happened to us, we were left alone," he added disappointedly. The owners announce that after the police procedure is completed and all findings are collected, they will hire a lawyer and initiate proceedings for damages. "The most important thing is that no one was hurt, but what we created over the years disappeared in a few minutes. I just hope that in the end, someone will be held accountable for what happened," he concluded.
