An explosion Friday brought down a two-storey building in Athens’ Plaka district, killing an American couple staying in a tourist rental; four people were missing as rescue operations continued. Mayor Haris Doukas said a gas leak was the likely cause.
Among the missing were an elderly British man and a Greek woman who shared an apartment. The American couple’s identities had not been made public. Greece’s ANA news agency reported that about 30 rescuers and three sniffer dogs were at the site.
Doukas said two nearby buildings were in a dangerous state, with inspections underway to determine whether they could remain standing or needed demolition. A year earlier, Plaka residents had warned the city and utility companies about gas-leak or short-circuit risks, according to a residents’ association letter published by Kathimerini; they also urged a fire drill.
