One dead, 5 missing after explosion destroys building in Athens

In a tragic incident in central Athens, a residential building collapsed due to an explosion, resulting in the death of one woman and the disappearance of five individuals, including an elderly couple and four tourists. The blast, which occurred on Friday, destroyed a two-storey building in the Plaka district, a popular tourist area near landmarks like the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus.

Emergency services, including the Hellenic Fire Service's special disaster response unit, conducted an overnight search operation, aided by rescue dogs, in an effort to locate the missing persons. The elderly couple and the four tourists were staying in separate apartments within the same building. As of Saturday morning, the body of the young woman had been discovered amidst the rubble, which was left in a state of twisted metal, broken balconies, and hanging concrete slabs.

The tourists, whose nationalities have not been confirmed, were scheduled to depart for Athens airport at 3pm on Friday, but failed to check out. The cause of the explosion remains unclear, though Athens Mayor Haris Doukas suggested it may be linked to the area's gas infrastructure, stating, "Something went terribly wrong."