# 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.
- Title: Six dead in Athens building explosion near Acropolis
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: breaking, athens, greece, explosion, plaka district, acropolis, gas leak, news, world, Six, dead, building
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6p3kk78l4l1o
- Published: 2026-09-26T09:33:03.237+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, athens, greece, explosion, plaka district, acropolis, gas leak, news, world
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.