Six dead after Athens apartment block collapses in historic Plaka district

Greek authorities are working to determine what caused a two-storey apartment building in the historic Plaka district of Athens to collapse "in a matter of seconds," killing six people. Rescue teams recovered the victims on Saturday, more than 24 hours after an early-morning explosion.

The fire service confirmed the bodies of three women and three men had been recovered but did not release names. The Guardian was told that among the dead were a British man and his Greek wife, aged 77 and 78, who lived on the building's upper floor.

Before the bodies were found, police had listed six people as missing, including four Americans — two brothers and their wives — who were renting a first-floor apartment and had been due to fly back to the United States on Friday, hours after the blast. Their failure to show up for the flight helped confirm they were likely in the building when it collapsed.

The British resident, described as a talented artist with mobility difficulties, lived with his wife on the second floor.

Search efforts and possible causes

Rescuers used thermal cameras and geophones to search for survivors, while earth-moving equipment and trained dogs worked through the rubble overnight. Athens mayor Haris Doukas called the incident an "unprecedented disaster." The explosion struck at 7:30am, shattering windows in nearby buildings and injuring at least three other people.

Officials said several "cogent theories" were being examined, including the possibility of a gas leak originating from the first-floor short-term rental. The disaster has reignited debate over oversight of short-term rentals in Plaka, an area popular with tourists where Greece's government has already sought to tighten rules amid a housing crisis. A local residents' committee leader said there was no clear system for inspecting such properties. Emergency crews remain on site until the cause of the explosion is established.