Two US tourists found dead after house explosion in Athens

After the explosion in a residential building in Athens' old town, helpers recovered the bodies of a tourist couple from the USA from the rubble. The US citizens had rented an apartment on the first floor of the building, the Greek rescue workers reported on Saturday. The authorities initially did not want to comment on the identity of the victims. According to initial findings, a gas leak caused the explosion.

Reporters from the AFP news agency observed on Saturday how rescue workers searched for possible survivors using thermal imaging cameras and an excavator. The Greek news agency ANA reported that three sniffer dogs were also deployed at the scene of the accident. The four other missing people include a British man and a Greek woman who lived on the second floor of the building and a couple from the USA.

Danger of collapse complicates rescue work

The three-story house collapsed around 7:30 a.m. on Friday morning after a violent explosion and a fire broke out. Initially, there were reports of a passer-by who was slightly injured by flying debris. Two women who were rescued from a neighboring house were also taken to hospital as a precaution.

According to the newspaper Kathimerini, residents had already warned the city administration and the gas supply company about the danger of gas leaks a year ago. The residents also requested a fire drill.

The historic Plaka district, where the explosion occurred, is very popular with tourists. It is close to Hadrian's Gate, one of the most important Roman-era structures in Athens. The nearby Acropolis was visited by 4.5 million tourists in 2025.