Overview
- A powerful blast struck Lysikratous Street in the Plaka district on Friday morning, collapsing a two‑storey residential building and scattering debris across the narrow tourist area.
- Rescuers recovered one body early Saturday and continue searching for five people who remain unaccounted for while three people have been treated for injuries.
- Firefighters, EMAK specialist teams, search dogs, thermal cameras and excavators are working at the scene as crews assess the stability of neighbouring buildings.
- Local officials and the mayor have pointed to a likely gas leak in the building’s supply as the probable cause, but investigators and the gas network operator are conducting a formal inquiry.
- The blast has raised immediate safety concerns for Plaka’s dense, older housing and short‑term rentals, prompting utility shutdowns, structural inspections and potential scrutiny of rental oversight and maintenance practices.