Two people have died and four others remain missing following a powerful explosion and subsequent building collapse in a tourist-heavy area of central Athens, according to Greek officials reported by Reuters. The blast struck a two-storey residential structure on Lysikratous Street in the historic Plaka neighborhood situated beneath the Acropolis monument. The explosion occurred around 7.35 a.m. on Friday, shattering windows, damaging nearby houses, shops, and vehicles, and sending debris flying up to three blocks away.
Deadly Blast Devastates Historic Plaka District
Emergency crews recovered the bodies of a man and a young woman from the rubble on Saturday. Rescue operations have proved challenging due to the severe structural collapse and ongoing safety hazards for surrounding buildings, police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou told public broadcaster ERT. Authorities evacuated adjacent structures for security reasons. Approximately 30 rescuers equipped with heavy gear, mechanical diggers, thermal-imaging cameras, and sniffer dogs were deployed to comb through the wreckage, which consisted of twisted metal, shattered tiles, and concrete slabs.
Search for Missing Residents and Tourists
Search and rescue teams have focused their efforts on locating six individuals initially unaccounted for following the disaster, including an elderly couple who lived on the upper level and four tourists staying in a short-term rental apartment on the floor above street level. Relatives and local residents noted that the elderly husband suffered from serious health problems and limited mobility. According to CBS News, an American couple staying in the tourist rental died in the collapse, while an elderly British man and a Greek woman who shared an apartment were among those initially missing.
Police sources indicated that the tourists were scheduled to check out and catch a flight from Athens airport at 3 p.m. on Friday but failed to show up. Rescuers at the scene also recovered a woman’s handbag believed to belong to one of the tourists staying in the building. According to local reporting, the short-term rental had been booked by a British national traveling with his American-Albanian wife, their son, and the son’s partner. In addition to the fatalities, three people suffered injuries in the incident, and firefighters rescued two female tourists from a neighboring building to be transported to the hospital.
Investigation and Infrastructure Concerns
Municipal and utility authorities are currently investigating the precise cause of the disaster, with a natural gas leak emerging as a primary scenario. Athens mayor Haris Doukas stated on Friday that the incident was likely linked to gas infrastructure, remarking that Something went terribly wrong
and describing the event as an incredible disaster. Witnesses reported smelling a strong odor of gas prior to the blast, and records indicated a natural gas connection existed on the second floor of the destroyed structure.
The impact of the explosion extended beyond the immediate site. Mayor Doukas noted that two adjacent buildings were left in a dangerous state and required structural inspections to determine whether they could remain standing or needed to be demolished. The blast also damaged local houses, parked cars, and nearby institutions, including the First Greek Evangelical Church, where the pastor reported that every window was shattered and Sunday services would have to be moved outdoors. Reports highlighted that local residents in the Plaka neighborhood had submitted a letter a year prior warning utility companies and the city about the risks of gas leaks and short circuits in the area.