Explosion in Athens' Plaka District Kills Two, Leaves Four Missing

A residential building in Plaka, a historic neighborhood in central Athens near the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus, collapsed after an explosion on Friday, killing two people and leaving four others missing, according to a Greek fire brigade official speaking on Saturday. The blast destroyed a two-storey structure, injured three people, and damaged nearby houses, shops, and cars, with debris and broken glass scattered as far as three blocks away. Rescue teams wearing heavy gear and red helmets, supported by search dogs, were searching for an elderly couple who lived in one flat and four tourists staying in another. On Saturday, crews recovered the bodies of a man and a young woman while clearing twisted metal, shattered tiles, and concrete slabs from the wreckage. The cause of the explosion has not been disclosed. Plaka sits directly beneath the Acropolis, making the area one of the Greek capital's most heavily visited tourist zones, and the incident occurred close to major archaeological landmarks including the Temple of Zeus.