Four Americans Among Six Dead in Suspected Gas Explosion in Athens

Six individuals have died following a blast that collapsed a building in the historic Plaka district of Athens, Greece. Local authorities confirmed on Saturday that rescue teams recovered the bodies from the rubble, describing the event as an “unimaginable catastrophe.”

Greek state broadcaster ERT and other local media reported that documents and personal effects found with four of the victims identified them as United States citizens. The group consisted of two men and two women who were visiting the area. The remaining two victims were identified as an elderly couple: a British man and a Greek woman who resided on the second floor of the destroyed structure.

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas stated that the explosion, which occurred on Friday, is believed to have been triggered by a major gas leak. The blast brought down the small, two-storey building and caused significant damage to neighboring structures, which have since been evacuated. Doukas noted that two additional buildings on the street are severely damaged and may require demolition.

Two women sustained injuries in an adjacent building, according to the fire department. Kathimerini, a Greek daily newspaper, reported that the four American tourists were scheduled to depart for the United States around 11:00 am (08:00 GMT) on Friday but failed to board their flight.

Residents of the Plaka neighborhood had previously raised alarms regarding infrastructure risks in the area. A citizen movement known as “We Remain Active” claimed that a resident had reported a persistent smell of gas on the street where the explosion occurred for several weeks prior to the incident. In a letter published by Kathimerini a year ago, residents urged the municipality and utility managers to address potential short circuits and gas leaks.

A Greek police spokeswoman confirmed to ERT that authorities had received reports from residents, though she noted that the specific nature and origin of the substance have not yet been determined. Plaka is located at the foot of the Acropolis, Greece’s most visited ancient monument.