Five people are missing after an explosion caused a residential building to collapse in Plaka, a historic tourist district in central Athens, injuring three people and damaging nearby homes, shops and cars.
Fire crews and ambulances were sent to the scene early on Friday as smoke rose above the city’s ancient monuments. The blast struck a two-storey building near the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus.
The cause was not immediately established, although local media reported that a gas leak was suspected. The building was left as a wreckage of twisted metal, shattered balconies and hanging slabs of concrete.
An official said firefighters were searching for five people, including an elderly couple who lived in the property. A police official said part of the building had been rented to tourists.
Two women trapped in an adjoining building were rescued and taken to hospital. A passer-by was also injured.
The explosion sent rocks and broken glass flying as far as three blocks away, damaging properties and vehicles in the surrounding area.
Plaka’s narrow streets are lined with cafes, souvenir shops, hotels and short-term rentals, and are usually busy with visitors. Local resident Andreas Martzaklis described the force of the blast, saying: “It was like the whole building, the whole block blew off. That’s how strong it was.”
