At least six people have died following the collapse of a two-story residential building in Athens, the Greek capital. US officials have confirmed that four of the victims were American citizens. The incident occurred on Friday morning in the historic Plaka district, a popular area for tourists. The local mayor suspects that a faulty gas connection may have caused the explosion. News agency Reuters reported the incident.
Fire department spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis stated that the bodies of the six victims were recovered from the rubble using heavy equipment, sniffer dogs, and sensors. The deceased included an elderly couple who lived in the building and four American tourists staying in another apartment.
They were scheduled to catch their return flight on Friday afternoon. US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the four American citizens. The site of the explosion is located very close to popular historic tourist attractions such as the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. The force of the blast damaged numerous nearby shops and vehicles. An investigation into the incident is underway.
