Four American tourists among 6 killed in suspected gas leak blast in Athens

What the report says

Rescue crews in Athens recovered the bodies of six people after a blast caused a two-storey building to collapse in the city’s historic Plaka district, according to local authorities reported by Al Jazeera. Officials said four of the victims were identified through documents and belongings as U.S. citizens: two men and two women. The other victims were reported by local media to be an elderly couple, including a British man and a Greek woman who lived on the building’s second floor.

Greek authorities said two women were also injured in a nearby building. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said the explosion was believed to have resulted from a major gas leak, though the exact cause had not been confirmed. He also said neighboring properties were damaged and evacuated, and that some adjoining buildings might need to be demolished because of the extent of the damage.

The incident happened on Friday in Plaka, a busy tourist area below the Acropolis, and rescue efforts continued the following day. Local reports cited by Al Jazeera said the four American tourists were due to leave their accommodation around 11:00 a.m. but did not board their flight. The report also noted that residents had previously warned municipal and utility officials about possible gas or electrical risks in the area. Those concerns, however, were not described as having been tied to the blast by investigators.