Four Americans Among Six Dead in Athens Building Blast

Four American tourists were among six people killed on Saturday after an explosion caused a small residential building to partially collapse in Athens, Greece.

The blast occurred early Friday in the popular Plaka district, near the Acropolis, an area known for its numerous tourist accommodations. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said the explosion was likely caused by a gas leak.

The other two victims were an elderly British man and his Greek wife, who lived on the second floor of the three-storey building, according to Greece’s state broadcaster, ERT.

The American family of four had been staying in an apartment on the first floor and were preparing to leave for the airport for their return to the United States when the explosion occurred, Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported.

The New York Times reported that the American family consisted of a couple, their son and his girlfriend. Greek authorities had not immediately released their identities, ages or hometowns.

The explosion brought down the building and damaged nearby properties and vehicles.

“We are talking about an incredible disaster,” Mayor Doukas said.

Emergency workers and mechanical excavators were seen clearing debris from the site on Saturday, while thermal-imaging cameras were deployed during the search operation.

Two neighbouring buildings were also declared potentially dangerous. Authorities were inspecting them to determine whether they could remain standing or would need to be demolished.

The owner of the ground-floor apartment, Mathaios Artavanis, told Kathimerini that he was not at home when the explosion occurred. He said he later attempted to contact the British-Greek couple who lived in the building but could not reach them.

Residents of the Plaka neighbourhood had reportedly warned the city authorities and utility companies about possible gas leaks and electrical faults a year earlier. A residents’ association had also called for a fire drill to identify weaknesses in the area’s emergency response plans.

A local citizens’ group said a resident on the street where the explosion occurred had previously alerted authorities after noticing what appeared to be a gas leak.

Plaka is one of Athens’ most popular tourist districts. The nearby Acropolis, one of Greece’s most famous landmarks, attracted about 4.6 million visitors last year.

AFP

• Tweet
• Share
• Share
• Share
• Share