Tragedy in Greece: Six people were killed in central Athens after a powerful explosion in the heart of the capital's tourist district caused a building to collapse on Friday, Greek fire officials said. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said the blast was believed to have been caused by a gas leak.
The six people killed were an elderly couple, a British man and a Greek woman who lived in the top-floor apartment, and four tourists — two American couples — who were staying in a first-floor apartment. According to local police, the Americans had been due to fly out of Athens on Friday afternoon but never showed up for their flight.
Six killed in explosion in tourist district of central Athens
(Credit: Reuters)
Gallery
The collapsed building in the heart of the tourist district
(Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Scene of the explosion in Plaka, apparently caused by a gas leak
(Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Search operation that led to the discovery of the six victims
(Photo: AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
Local fire officials said emergency crews found the six bodies among the rubble on Saturday, using heavy equipment, rescue dogs, cameras and sensors. Two women were rescued from a nearby building after the explosion and taken to a hospital, while another person suffered minor injuries from flying debris.
The explosion damaged nearby homes, stores and cars, with debris and shattered glass found as far as three blocks away. The building was reduced to a mass of twisted metal, broken tiles and concrete, strewn with household belongings and clothing.
'An unimaginable disaster'
(Photo: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki)
Residents had warned of 'the smell of gas for weeks'
(Photo: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki)
Damage to nearby buildings
(Photo: REUTERS/Louisa Gouliamaki)
Mathaios Artavanis, the owner of the ground-floor apartment who was not there at the time of the explosion, told the Greek daily Kathimerini that he had tried unsuccessfully to contact the elderly couple.
"The damage extends along the entire street as well as the street behind the building," Mayor Doukas said. "We are talking about an incredible disaster." He said the two neighboring buildings were also severely damaged.
About a year ago, a group of Plaka residents warned the municipality and electricity and gas network operators about the risks of electrical short circuits or gas leaks in the neighborhood. In a letter published by Kathimerini, residents called for a safety drill to identify potential weaknesses in the emergency response plan.
The citizens' group Menoume Energoi (“We Stay Active”) also said on social media that a resident of the street where the explosion occurred had reported smelling gas for several weeks and had alerted the authorities.
Greek police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidou confirmed to local media that residents had reported a gas odor before the explosion. However, the nature and source of the substance have yet to be determined.