Athens: body of woman found under rubble of collapsed building

The body of a woman was found on Saturday September 26 in the morning under the rubble of a building which had collapsed the day before in the historic center of Athens, while six people were missing, according to the Greek press agency ANA.

According to ANA, it was an American tourist who was staying in a seasonal rental on the first floor with her husband and another couple. Six people were initially missing: the four American tourists and an elderly couple, made up of a British man and a Greek woman, who lived on the second floor, according to public television ERT.

The small two-story building collapsed Friday morning around 6:30 a.m. French time. The city councilor of Athens, Haris Doukas, spoke of the probability of an “explosion caused by (...) a very large leak” of gas which then led to the catastrophe. A specialized fire brigade unit, responsible for investigating the causes of the explosion, was still present on site on Saturday, according to ANA.

The historic district of Plaka, where the building is located, is one of the most touristy in the Greek capital. It extends below the Acropolis, which welcomed 4.6 million visitors in 2025. Thirty firefighters are engaged on site with six vehicles, including two specialized in rescue operations, as well as three search and rescue dogs, according to the Greek press agency ANA. Excavators are clearing the rubble and thermal cameras have been deployed on the scene by rescuers, as shown in AFP images.

“The damage extends to the entire street as well as to the street behind (the building),” explained Haris Doukas. “We are talking about an unimaginable catastrophe.” The mayor also indicated that the two adjoining buildings were in very poor condition. “Inspections have begun to determine whether they can remain standing or whether they too must be demolished,” he said.

On Friday morning, two women were also rescued from a nearby building and then hospitalized. Another person was lightly injured by flying debris in the explosion, while nearby buildings and parked vehicles were damaged.