A British man and his Greek wife are believed to be among six people killed after an explosion destroyed a building in Athens' Plaka district, near the Acropolis. Fire crews recovered the couple from the rubble on Saturday following the blast.
Couple lived on second floor
The British man and his wife lived on the second floor of the property and had reportedly been seen on their balcony shortly before the explosion, according to CNN Greece. Six bodies have been recovered in total after the blast turned the building into rubble.
Earlier, AFP had reported, citing local officials, that an American man and woman had also died while two other US tourists were missing. A Greek national and a British national who lived in the building were also said to be unaccounted for.
Rescue operation launched
The blast struck the building on Lysikratous Street, close to some of Athens' most visited attractions including the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. A major rescue operation was launched as firefighters searched through the wreckage for those feared trapped beneath the rubble.
Around 30 firefighters, specialist rescue crews and search dogs were deployed to the scene, while heavy machinery was used to clear the debris. Two women were also rescued from a neighbouring building and taken to hospital as a precaution.
Gas leak suspected
Pictures from the scene showed huge piles of rubble scattered across the street, with nearby buildings and parked cars also damaged by the force of the explosion. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas described the scene as an “incredible disaster”.
Investigators are looking into a suspected gas leak as the possible cause of the explosion, although the exact cause has not yet been officially confirmed. Residents reportedly said they had noticed the smell of gas before the blast.
