Four American Tourists Among Six Killed in Athens Building Explosion

Six people, including four American tourists, died after an explosion leveled a two-story residential building in Athens' historic Plaka district near the Acropolis on Friday.

The blast occurred at dawn and is believed to have been caused by a major gas leak, according to Athens Mayor Haris Doukas. Emergency crews recovered six bodies from the rubble on Saturday. The four Americans, described as two couples, were staying in a first-floor apartment and were expected to depart Athens later that day.

Among the other victims were an elderly British man and his Greek wife who lived in an upstairs apartment. The explosion destroyed the building and damaged nearby homes, shops, and vehicles, with debris scattered up to three blocks away. U.S. Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle expressed her condolences for the American citizens. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, with initial reports suggesting a gas smell in the area prior to the blast. Two nearby buildings were left in a dangerous state, requiring inspections to determine their structural integrity.