Gas Explosion Rocks Athens' Historic Plaka District

A devastating gas explosion in Athens' historic Plaka district has left six people dead and raised concerns about the safety of nearby buildings.

The blast occurred on Friday, September 25th, around 7:30 am, causing extensive damage to surrounding streets and injuring two women who were rescued from a neighboring building.

Fire investigators are focusing on the natural gas installation in the second-floor flat where the explosion took place, which was still connected to the gas supply. Preliminary findings suggest that a leak may have caused a large amount of gas to build up, eventually igniting and triggering the blast.

The investigation team is examining the condition of the installation and the age of the building to determine whether either contributed to the disaster.