Newsroom
The search for people trapped beneath a collapsed building in Athens’ historic Plaka district ended in tragedy on Saturday, with rescuers recovering the bodies of all six people believed to have been inside.
The victims were identified as four American tourists and an elderly couple from Greece, according to the latest information from the rescue operation.
The building on Lysikratous Street collapsed shortly after 7:30am on Friday, following a powerful explosion that sent debris across the surrounding area and damaged nearby buildings and parked vehicles.
Greek emergency crews worked through the rubble for hours in difficult and dangerous conditions. Members of the country’s EMAK disaster-response unit, firefighters and specially trained search dogs were involved in the operation, while specialist equipment was used to search beneath the collapsed structure.
The building had a ground floor and two upper floors. The first floor was being used as short-term rental accommodation, where the American tourists had been staying, while an elderly couple lived on the second floor.
Before the victims were located, authorities had been trying to establish whether the three American tourists originally reported as unaccounted for had already left their accommodation before the explosion. The investigation later established that four American tourists were among those found beneath the ruins.
Three people were also injured in the blast. Two women were rescued from a neighbouring building and taken to hospital, while a passerby suffered minor injuries from flying debris.
The explosion caused extensive damage in the surrounding streets, with shattered glass, pieces of concrete and other debris hitting nearby properties and vehicles. A fire that broke out following the blast was brought under control shortly afterwards.
Authorities are now investigating what caused the explosion. A problem involving a natural gas installation is among the main lines of inquiry, with evidence gathered at the scene pointing towards a possible gas leak. The precise cause has not yet been established.
A team from the Directorate for the Investigation of Arson Crimes remains at the scene examining the evidence and working to determine exactly how the explosion occurred.
With the recovery of the final victims, the rescue operation has ended. The focus now turns to the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the blast and the responsibilities that may follow.
