2 American tourists dead after building explosion in Greece

An American tourist couple perished in Greece when a building collapsed following an explosion in the historic Plaka district of Athens. The tragedy claimed the lives of the American man and woman, who were staying in an apartment above street level. Four others, including an elderly British man and a Greek woman, remain missing.

The cause of the explosion is believed to be a gas leak, as stated by Athens Mayor Haris Doukas. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with mechanical diggers and thermal-imaging cameras being utilized to locate survivors. The area around the collapsed building continues to pose a risk, as two neighboring structures are deemed unsafe and are under scrutiny to determine if they should be demolished.

The Plaka neighborhood, a popular tourist destination near the Acropolis, has a history of concerns regarding gas leaks and electrical hazards. Residents had previously warned the city and utility companies about these risks, urging fire drills to assess emergency response preparedness.