Explosion razes two-storey building on Lysikratous street, rescue teams hunt for missing occupants

Early this morning an intense explosion ripped through an old two-storey building on Lysikratous street in the Plaka district, triggering a fire that led to the structure's collapse. A nearby hotel’s security camera recorded the blast, showing shattered windows and a loud shockwave that sent patrons fleeing the area. Firefighters, police, EKAB ambulances and a natural-gas distribution team arrived, with 24 firefighters and six vehicles, plus a special rescue unit from the 1st EMAC, joining forces with the Athens municipality to clear the site.

Authorities are checking reports that an elderly couple lived on the second floor and that three foreign tourists, possibly Americans, were renting the first floor, though none have been located. Two women trapped in a neighboring building were rescued and hospitalized at Georgios Gennimatas Hospital, while another individual sustained light injuries from debris. Damage also affected nearby structures and parked cars, and the Athens Arson Investigation Unit is probing whether a gas leak caused the blast.