Six dead after explosion destroys building in Athens

ATHENS: Six people have died, the Greek fire brigade said on Saturday, after a two-storey residential building in a tourist area of central Athens collapsed following an explosion which the capital's mayor said was likely linked to gas infrastructure.

Emergency crews in heavy gear and red helmets assisted by rescue dogs, cameras and sensors found the bodies of six people, fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said in a televised briefing. They were looking for an elderly couple who lived in one apartment and four tourists who were staying in another as they removed debris from the building.

The fire brigade's crime investigation unit was also on site to identify the cause of the blast after reports of a gas smell in an area which is home to hotels and short-term rentals.

The tourists, two American couples, had been expected to check in to catch a flight from Athens airport at 3pm local time on Friday but did not show up, a police source said.

Ambulances stood by on Saturday to take the bodies to the hospital for identification.

Friday's blast destroyed the building in Plaka, near some of Athens' most visited sites including the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus, damaging nearby houses, shops and cars and sending rubble and broken glass as far as three blocks away.

The building was reduced to twisted metal, shattered tiles and concrete, strewn with household items and clothing. — REUTERS