Six Dead in Athens Building Blast

Blast Details and Casualties in Plaka

The explosion destroyed a small, two-storey building in the historic Plaka district, which lies at the foot of the Acropolis. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas stated that the blast was believed to have been caused by a major gas leak. The incident also caused damage to neighbouring buildings that required evacuation. Among the six dead, four victims were identified through documents as two men and two women from the United States. Greek daily newspaper Kathimerini reported that these four tourists were due to leave their accommodation at about 11:00 am local time, but failed to board their return flight to the US. The remaining two victims were identified as an elderly couple who lived on the building’s second floor, consisting of a British man and a Greek woman. The fire department also reported that two women were injured in an adjacent building.

Prior Safety Warnings from Residents

Residents of the Plaka district had previously alerted municipal authorities and managers of the electricity and gas networks to potential hazards in the area. A group of local residents wrote a letter a year prior to the incident calling for the organisation of a security exercise to identify shortcomings in the emergency response system, pointing to risks of short circuits or gas leaks. The citizen movement We Remain Active reported on social media that a resident on the affected street had reported a smell of gas for several weeks and had warned authorities. A Greek police spokeswoman confirmed on ERT that residents had made the report. Authorities have not yet determined the nature and origin of the substance involved in the blast. Mayor Doukas noted that two severely damaged adjoining buildings might require demolition following the catastrophe.