Explosion near Athens’ Acropolis kills six, including four Americans
Developing story first seen 2 hours ago
Authorities have confirmed that all six victims were recovered after an explosion destroyed a building near Athens’ Acropolis, including four American tourists. The blast is believed to have followed a major gas leak, while investigators examine reports of a gas smell; the incident has renewed concerns about safety in the densely populated, tourist-heavy Plaka district.
The Americans—two men and two women believed to be two couples—had been due to fly home but failed to appear at Athens airport. An elderly local couple also died, while two women in a neighbouring building were injured; the explosion damaged nearby homes, shops, vehicles and a church, with rescue teams using 30 firefighters, three dogs, cameras and sensors.
- Six people died in an explosion near Athens’ Acropolis.
- Four victims were American tourists who missed their flight.
- Authorities suspect a major gas leak caused the blast.
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Plaka is one of Athens’s oldest and most visited neighbourhoods, lying below the Acropolis. Its narrow streets contain homes, small businesses, restaurants and hotels, meaning local residents and visitors often live and gather close together.
The Acropolis is Greece’s best-known ancient landmark and a major tourist attraction. The area around it is densely built-up, so an incident affecting one property can also threaten nearby buildings, vehicles and people.
Gas explosions can happen when a leak allows gas to collect and then ignite, causing a sudden blast and fire. Investigators will need to establish what caused the suspected leak and whether any safety measures failed.
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Originally published by Fox News as “Four American tourists among 6 killed after explosion levels building near Athens’ Acropolis”.