Rescuers Search for Missing After Athens Building Collapse
Two unconscious individuals were recovered from rubble following a blast near the Acropolis.
Rescuers were searching for four people Saturday after a building collapsed in a blast in Athens' historic Plaka district, near the ancient Acropolis.
Authorities reported that two unconscious individuals were recovered from the rubble. The blast occurred Friday morning and is believed to have been caused by a massive gas leak, according to Athens Mayor Haris Doukas. Neighboring buildings sustained damage and were evacuated.
The fire department confirmed that a second unconscious person was found in the debris of the two-story house in Plaka. Earlier on Saturday, an unconscious woman was taken to an ambulance. Two other women from an adjacent building on Lysikratous Street sustained injuries.
The search and rescue operation involved 30 firefighters and three dogs. An investigation into the incident is ongoing. Video footage from the scene showed debris scattered across the street, with parked cars damaged by falling material. Residents indicated that those rescued from the adjacent building were tourists. The pastor of a nearby church announced that Sunday services would be moved outdoors due to damage to the church building.