Two dead and four missing after Athens building explosion

Two people have died and four others remain missing after an explosion caused a residential building to collapse in central Athens, according to a Greek fire brigade official. The blast occurred on Friday in Plaka, a tourist area near the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. It destroyed the two-storey building, injured three people and damaged nearby houses, shops and cars.

Rubble and broken glass were reportedly scattered as far as three blocks from the site. Emergency crews wearing heavy protective equipment, assisted by rescue dogs, continued searching the debris on Saturday. The bodies of a man and a young woman were found as rescuers removed rubble from the collapsed structure.

An elderly couple who lived in one flat and four tourists staying in another were still being sought. The tourists were described by a police source as two American couples who had been expected to leave for a flight from Athens airport on Friday afternoon. They did not arrive for their departure, the source said.

Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou said the operation was difficult because much of the building had collapsed and nearby structures faced potential risks. Adjacent buildings were evacuated as a safety measure. The cause of the explosion had not been established.

Athens mayor Haris Doukas said on Friday that it was likely connected to gas infrastructure, adding that something had gone seriously wrong. The supplied report did not give further details about the investigation.