5 missing after explosion collapses building in historic heart of Athens

Five people are missing after an explosion caused a building to collapse in Athens’ historic Plaka district on Friday morning, Greece’s Fire Department said, according to the Greek state news agency AMNA, as search operations continued at the scene.

The explosion and subsequent fire broke out on Lysikratous Street shortly after 7.30 am local time (0430GMT).

A large number of firefighters, including personnel from the Special Disaster Response Unit, were searching the rubble using specialized equipment, thermal imaging cameras and a trained search dog.

The five missing people are believed to have been staying on the first and second floors of the building, according to the Fire Department.

An elderly couple was believed to have been living on the second floor, while three tourists, possibly Americans, were staying in short-term rental accommodation on the first floor, according to the latest information from the department.

It was not immediately known whether they were inside the building when the explosion occurred. “There are missing persons. This is a very complex situation, and the search is in full progress,” Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said after arriving at the scene.

Drones were also being used to assess the situation, while municipal services remained at the scene to assess damage to neighboring buildings, Doukas said.

Asked about the cause of the explosion, Doukas explained: “I understand that it was caused by gas, and the force of the explosion was terrifying. This means that there was a very serious fault. Something went completely wrong,” he said.

Police officers and ambulances from Greece’s National Centre for Emergency Care were also at the scene.

Construction machinery provided by the Municipality of Athens was being used to remove debris from the collapsed building.