The three men who caused the explosion in the apartment building in Plaka last September are now in the hands of the authorities, as they had been attempting to steal copper just a few hours earlier.
They are two men of Greek origin and one Albanian, aged 55, 34, and 37.
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They are now expected to be officially identified so they can be arrested and brought before the prosecutor tomorrow, Friday.
The Fire Department identified the suspects following a 34-day investigation, which was conducted under the supervision of the prosecuting authorities.
Officers from the Fire Department’s Arson Crimes Investigation Division (DAEE), using the evidence in their possession and video footage, identified the three men—two of Greek origin and one of Albanian origin—for whom arrest warrants were issued.
The suspects are known to the authorities
They are 55, 37, and 34 years old, who were identified through analysis of surveillance footage by the relevant officials as moving suspiciously around 2 a.m. and entering the building a few hours before the explosion.
Authorities believe the suspects went to the building to steal copper, as a few minutes after they entered, they were seen running away with a large piece of copper pipe. While removing the copper, the three individuals caused a rupture in the internal plumbing, resulting in a leak that led to the tragedy a few hours later.
The three suspects are no strangers to law enforcement, as they have been involved in at least… 50 incidents involving theft, robbery, weapons, drugs, and aggravated assault.
What the Fire Department’s investigation revealed
According to the investigation’s findings, the three are alleged to have maliciously damaged the piping of the natural gas facility with the intent of stealing copper pipes. The investigation focused on their actions and on establishing their connection to the explosion.
As the Fire Department emphasized in its statement, beginning on the morning of September 25, 2026, when the explosion occurred, specialized and experienced members of the Special Anti-Terrorism Unit (DAEE) have been working under the utmost secrecy to clarify the circumstances of the tragedy. In the 34 days that have passed since then, up to today, October 29, the investigative work has been combined with a specialized scientific examination of the findings.
A key part of the investigation was the reconstruction of the explosion site, through methodical and coordinated actions, with the aim of documenting the location and the relative positions of the evidence and reconstructing the sequence of events. This process was combined with a thorough analysis of audiovisual material, the use of information obtained following the lifting of communications secrecy, and the systematic evaluation of evidence collected from the scene.
Particular emphasis was placed on the scientific documentation of the case. To this end, the DAEE collaborated with appointed experts—electrical engineers and a chemist— as well as with the scientific staff of the metallography laboratory in the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Technology at the National Technical University of Athens. The specialized examination of the evidence and the combined evaluation of the scientific and investigative findings strengthened the substantiation of the investigation’s conclusions.
Source: iefimerida.gr
