Building collapses in Plaka district of Athens, Greece; 6 people killed and missing due to suspected gas explosion

Six people, including an American tourist, were killed or missing after a residential building collapsed in a historic area of ​​the Greek capital, Athens, a popular tourist destination.

According to Kathimerini, a leading local newspaper, rescue authorities announced on the 26th (local time) that after searching the remains of a collapsed building in the Plaka district near the Acropolis, Greece's most famous tourist attraction, they have recovered a total of four bodies and are working to identify them.

An explosion, presumed to be a large-scale gas leak, occurred in the two-story house where the accident occurred on the morning of the 25th. Authorities deployed 30 firefighters, three rescue dogs, and thermal imaging cameras to rescue and search for the missing person.

Authorities believe that a total of six people were killed in this accident, including four American tourists who were staying on the first floor and a British and Greek couple who lived on the second floor, and are continuing to search for additional missing people.

Video of the accident scene showed debris scattered across the street and parked cars damaged by debris. It is said that nearby buildings may also have to be demolished as the impact of the explosion was so powerful that a loud bang was heard throughout much of Athens.

Kathimerini said that in the Plaka district, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Athens, local residents have been warning city authorities and power and gas companies since last year about the risk of gas leaks or short circuits, urging them to conduct inspections.