From BBC News · · 1m 30s
Six dead in Athens building explosion near Acropolis
A blast destroys a holiday rental in the historic Plaka district, killing four American tourists, a British national and a Greek resident.
In brief
A blast destroys a holiday rental in the historic Plaka district, killing four American tourists, a British national and a Greek resident. Six people died when an explosion destroyed a building in central Athens on Friday, reportedly caused by a gas leak in the tourist area near the Acropolis. Originally reported by…
Blast destroys Athens building
Six people died when an explosion destroyed a building containing a holiday rental property in the Plaka area of central Athens on Friday.
The victims identified
Four American holidaymakers were among the dead, along with a British national and a Greek national, reportedly an elderly couple who lived in the same building.
Gas leak suspected cause
Pictures from the scene showed emergency service workers searching through rubble, with a gas leak the suspected cause of the blast in the historic tourist district.
Building completely collapsed
The three storey building completely collapsed due to the force of the blast, with neighbouring buildings damaged and debris scattered across the road.
Mayor calls it incredible disaster
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said: "We are talking about an incredible disaster." All six bodies had been recovered by Saturday afternoon.
“We are talking about an incredible disaster.”
Search continues at scene
Excavators and thermal imaging cameras have been used at the scene to search for survivors. The explosion happened on a small road between the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
In short
Six people died when an explosion destroyed a building in central Athens on Friday, reportedly caused by a gas leak in the tourist area near the Acropolis.
