Six bodies recovered from rubble of Athens building after explosion
The bodies of four US citizens, a British man and his Greek wife have been recovered after a suspected gas explosion in the Greek capital, according to local authorities.
Six bodies were recovered from the rubble of a house in Athens following a suspected gas explosion, according to local authorities. The blast, which occurred in the historic Plaka district, killed four US citizens and a British man and his Greek wife. Fire investigators are examining the exact cause of the gas leak and explosion.
The victims' belongings indicated they were US citizens, as reported by Greek state broadcaster ERT. The tourists, two American couples, were staying on the first floor of the building and were expected to check in for a flight but did not arrive, a police source told Reuters. The other two victims were an elderly British man and his Greek wife, who lived on the second floor of the three-story building.
The blast was likely caused by a major gas leak, said Athens Mayor Haris Doukas. Neighboring buildings were damaged and evacuated after the explosion. Two women were injured in an adjacent building, and the ground-floor apartment's owner, Mathaios Artavanis, was away at the time of the blast. A search-and-rescue operation involving 30 firefighters and three dogs took place, using cameras and sensors to locate the victims.
An investigation into the cause of the explosion has been launched after reports of a gas smell. Locals had previously warned about the risk of gas leaks or short circuits in Plaka. Video footage showed the extensive damage to the area, with debris scattered across the street and cars crushed by falling materials.
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