Six killed in Athens building collapse as gas leak remains under investigation
Authorities suspect a major gas leak caused the blast in Plaka, but the substance and its source have not been identified.
A blast collapsed a two-storey building in Athens’ historic Plaka district on Friday, killing six people. Rescue teams recovered the bodies, according to local authorities.
Documents and belongings reportedly indicated that four victims were United States citizens. The other two were reported to be a British man and a Greek woman who lived on the building’s second floor. Formal identification was not reported.
Two women were injured in an adjacent building. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said neighbouring buildings were damaged and evacuated, and that two adjoining buildings might need to be demolished.
Authorities suspect a major gas leak caused the blast, but the nature of the substance and its origin remain undetermined.
Greek media reported earlier warnings about possible gas leaks or short circuits in the area. A police spokeswoman confirmed to state broadcaster ERT that residents had reported a smell of gas.
