Four American tourists, a Greek woman and a British citizen are among those missing after the blast in the Greek capital’s historic Plaka district.
SIX PEOPLE, INCLUDING four tourists, are missing after a building collapsed following an explosion early this morning in Athens’ historic Plaka district.
The city’s mayor Haris Doukas called the blast an “unbelievable disaster” and spoke of the likelihood of an “explosion triggered by… a very significant gas leak” that led to the collapse of the two-storey building at around 7.30am (5.30am Irish time) this morning.
The building is located close to the Acropolis.
There were originally five people missing in the explosion, but police have since increased that number to six.
“Operations are continuing, all the machinery is here, the search will go on throughout the night,” Doukas, who attended the scene of the explosion, said.
“These are difficult hours. We stop whenever necessary to keep silent, so we can see if we can hear any sound” made by possible survivors,” he added.
According to Greece’s public television channel ERT, the missing are a British citizen and a Greek woman who lived on the second floor. On the first floor, four American tourists were staying in short-term rental accommodation.
The blast shook the surrounding area, which is normally busy with hundreds of foreign visitors.
Thirty firefighters were deployed with six vehicles as well as three search and rescue dogs, according to the Greek news agency ANA.
Excavators are clearing the rubble and thermal cameras have been deployed at the scene by rescuers, according to images released by AFP.
“The damage extends along the entire street as well as the street behind the building,” the mayor said.
“We are talking about an incredible disaster,” Doukas said, adding that two adjoining buildings are in very poor condition.
“Inspections have begun to determine whether they can remain standing or whether they too must be demolished.”
Earlier, two women were rescued from an adjacent building and taken to hospital. Another person was slightly injured by debris.
Neighbouring buildings and vehicles parked nearby were damaged.
The owner of the ground floor apartment, Mathaios Artavanis, told the Kathimerini news outlet he had tried to contact “the elderly couple, around 70 years old” without success.
