Athens building explosion: Fatalities and ongoing rescue operations
Quick Look
- In Athens, there was an explosion in a three-story building, probably caused by a gas installation failure.
- At least two people died as a result of the incident, and the services are conducting a difficult rescue operation in search of the missing tourists.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The building was located in the Plaka district, popular with tourists due to its proximity to monuments such as the Acropolis.
The explosion occurred on Friday in a three-story building. The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. According to information from Reuters, the services are considering the connection between the incident and the gas installation. Reuters reported two confirmed deaths.
The force of the explosion damaged nearby houses, shops and cars. Shards of glass and fragments of debris were found up to three blocks from the destroyed building.
Rescuers were looking for six people: an elderly couple living in one of the apartments and four tourists who lived in the other apartment. On Saturday, the bodies of a man and a young woman were recovered from the rubble.
As Reuters reported, citing a police source, four tourists - two couples from the US - were to fly from Athens on Friday afternoon. However, they did not show up at the airport.
The services repeatedly interrupted operations and used specialized equipment to detect people who might have survived under the rubble.
The rescue operation is not easy because the largest part of the building collapsed. There is a risk to neighboring houses, which were evacuated for safety reasons, police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou told public broadcaster ERT on Saturday.
The destroyed building was close to some of Athens' most popular attractions, including the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. There are many hotels and apartments for short-term rental in Plaka.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said on Friday that the explosion was most likely related to gas infrastructure.
Open Questions
- Have the identities of all the victims been confirmed?
- What was the exact cause of the explosion?
