Six Dead in Athens Building Blast Near the Acropolis

Sun Sep 27 2026 15:09:37 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A gas‑leak‑triggered explosion at a holiday rental in Plaka kills six, including a Brit, sharpens safety worries in Greece’s tourist heart.

A three‑storey holiday rental collapsed in a blast that hit Plaka, Athens, killing six people – a British national, a Greek couple and four Americans. The explosion, blamed on a gas leak, took place just a short walk from the Acropolis, sending emergency crews into a chaos of rubble and debris. Athens Mayor Haris Doukas called it an “incredible disaster.” Investigators are searching the wreckage for survivors while tourists who failed to return for their flight are listed as missing. The incident underscores safety concerns in Greece’s bustling tourist areas.

Six Dead in Athens Building Blast Near the Acropolis

A gas‑leak‑triggered explosion tore through a holiday rental in the heart of Plaka, killing six people and sending rubble across the streets near the Acropolis.

Those lost: a British national, an elderly Greek couple, and four American holidaymakers. Emergency crews recovered all bodies by Saturday afternoon.

The 3‑storey terrace collapsed, damaging adjacent buildings and scattering debris across the road. Investigators point to a gas leak as the cause, with emergency services digging through wreckage and using thermal cameras to search for survivors.

Athens Mayor Haris Doukas called the incident an “incredible disaster.” The UK Foreign Office confirmed it was aware of the blast and liaising with Greek officials.

The wreck lies between the Acropolis and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, two of Greece’s top tourist spots. Local media report that nearby streets were cleared of debris and some buildings were evacuated.