Building partially collapses after explosion in central Athens, one person reportedly injured
Firefighters rescued two women and searched for missing occupants as investigators examined a suspected gas leak, officials said.
- On Friday, September 25, 2026, a powerful explosion destroyed a two-storey residential building in Athens' historic Plaka district near the Acropolis, reducing the structure to twisted metal and rubble.
- Investigators are probing a suspected gas leak as the primary cause, following witness reports of a strong odor in the area shortly before 7:30 am when the blast occurred.
- A heavy deployment of 24 firefighters and specialized EMAK rescue units is searching for five missing individuals—including an elderly couple and tourists—using thermal cameras and sniffer dogs.
- The explosion's force shattered windows and hurled debris up to three blocks away, damaging shops and vehicles while injuring one passer-by and two women rescued from an adjacent building.
- Sunday services for the First Greek Evangelical Church will move outdoors due to structural damage, while Athens Mayor Haris Doukas coordinates site assessments with municipal services.
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306 Articles
Athens building blast leaves six missing as rescuers search rubble, gas leak suspected
ATHENS, Sept 26 — Six people, including four tourists, were missing after a building collapsed following an explosion early Friday in Athens’ historic Plaka district, which was...
Due to a gas leak there is an explosion in the old town of Athens. The affected house collapses partially. Now rescue forces are looking for six missing persons.
leprogres.fr
The investigators believe that the explosion at about 7.30 a.m. (6.30 a.m. in hexagonal France) prior to the collapse of the building was caused by a gas leak.
Radio France Internationale
Six missing after building blast in historic Athens district
The blast on a small street shook the area, which is normally busy with hundreds of foreign visitors. The police said they were looking for six people missing after the explosion. The fire service had earlier said they included two elderly people who lived in the building's top floor, and three tourists believed to have rented the apartment below. Police revised the number of tourists upwards to four. "A search and rescue operation with a dog i…
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