Gas leak suspected in deadly Plaka apartment explosion that killed six

Six victims were found after an explosion ripped through a second-floor flat in the historic Plaka district, where an elderly couple lived. The apartment was the sole residence with its own natural-gas connection, and investigators have not detected any prior gas-odor complaints. Fire-brigade representatives noted that the blast lifted upward, consistent with a natural-gas leak, and that the old brick construction made the structure especially vulnerable.

The mayor, Χάρης Δούκας, said early findings point to gas as the cause, and the fire department’s communications director, Βασίλης Βαθρακογιάννης, confirmed no odor reports were received. Other possibilities, such as a propane-bottle explosion, have been excluded, and further structural inspections of neighboring buildings are planned by the municipal planning department.