Two women were injured in the explosion in Athens’ historic Plaka district, prompting the evacuation of nearby buildings.
26 Sep 2026
Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of six individuals killed when a powerful blast caused a building to collapse in the historic center of Athens, Greece, local authorities confirmed.
Personal documents and belongings discovered with four of the deceased—two men and two women—on Saturday identified them as United States citizens, according to Greek state broadcaster ERT and other local media outlets.
The remaining two victims were identified as an elderly couple comprising a British man and a Greek woman, who resided on the building’s second floor.
According to the fire department, two women sustained injuries in an adjacent building.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas stated that the explosion, which flattened the small, two-story structure in the popular tourist district of Plaka on Friday, was likely caused by a significant gas leak. He noted that neighboring buildings sustained damage and were subsequently evacuated.
Mayor Doukas described the devastation, stating, “The damage extends to the entire street as well as the street behind [the building]. We are talking about an unimaginable catastrophe.”
He added that the two severely damaged adjoining structures may need to be demolished entirely.
The Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported on Friday that the four American tourists had planned to leave their accommodation at approximately 11:00 am (08:00 GMT) but ultimately failed to board their flight back to the United States.
![Rescuers work at the scene following Friday's powerful blast in Athens' Plaka district, Saturday, September 26, 2026 [Yorgos Karahalis/AP]](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==)
Plaka Residents Issued Warning
A group of Plaka residents had previously alerted the municipality and utility managers regarding the risks of short circuits or gas leaks in the area a year prior.
In a letter published by Kathimerini, the group advocated for the organization of a security exercise to identify any potential deficiencies in the emergency response system.
The citizen movement “We Remain Active” further noted on social media that a resident of the street where the explosion took place had smelled gas for several weeks and had warned authorities.
A Greek police spokeswoman confirmed to ERT that residents had indeed made the report. However, the nature and origin of the substance have yet to be determined.
Plaka is situated at the base of the Acropolis, Greece’s most visited ancient monument.