Six missing after explosion destroys historic Athens building
An apparent gas leak triggered an explosion that destroyed a two-storey building in Athens's Plaka district on Friday morning, leaving six people missing. Those unaccounted for include an elderly couple who lived on the building's upper floor and three American tourists who were renting the apartment below. Rescue teams deployed search dogs, excavators and thermal imaging cameras to locate anyone trapped beneath the rubble.
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An explosion believed to have been caused by a gas leak destroyed a two-storey building in the historic Plaka district of Athens, situated just below the Acropolis, in the early hours of Friday morning. Greek authorities reported that six people were missing following the blast, which struck at approximately 7:30 am local time and resulted in the building's collapse.
According to fire service officials, those unaccounted for included an elderly couple living on the building's top floor and three American tourists believed to have been staying in the rental apartment below. The tourists were reportedly scheduled to check out at around 11:00 am but had not done so; a woman's bag was later discovered among the debris, according to the newspaper Kathimerini.
Two women were rescued from an adjacent building and taken to hospital for treatment. Rescue crews deployed search dogs, excavators and thermal imaging cameras in efforts to locate anyone trapped beneath the rubble, according to footage broadcast by Greek public television.
The Plaka neighbourhood typically attracts hundreds of foreign visitors due to its proximity to the Acropolis, one of Greece's most visited landmarks, and the incident has raised concerns about building safety in this densely populated historic area.
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