Explosion Collapses Building in Athens’ Plaka District

A powerful explosion collapsed a two-storey building in Athens’s Plaka district on Friday, September 25, damaging nearby properties and vehicles. Two women trapped in an adjacent building were rescued and taken to hospital, while emergency crews searched the damaged site and assessed whether anyone else might be trapped. The cause had not been established. The blast struck the historic district near the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus. Debris and shattered glass scattered through the surrounding streets, and nearby buildings, homes, shops and parked cars were damaged. Firefighters and police cordoned off the area as crews inspected the wreckage and surrounding structures. Injuries were reported, but accounts did not establish a consistent total. Authorities said a passerby was hurt, and local reports described that person as slightly injured. Some later accounts gave an overall figure of three injured, without clearly specifying who was included or the time covered. The two rescued women were taken to hospital; their condition was not reported. Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou said the fire brigade had not completed its inspection.