A person was recovered dead from the first floor of the building on Lysikratous Street in Plaka, which collapsed on the morning of Friday, September 25, 2026, following a powerful explosion.
According to the information available so far, the victim is a woman who was living on the first floor with three other people—two American couples who were visiting Athens and staying in a short-term rental apartment.
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The EMAK operation continues amid the rubble
The search and rescue operation is in full swing, with firefighters gradually clearing debris from the collapsed building.
Thirty firefighters with six vehicles are on the scene, including two specialized rescue vehicles from the 1st EMAK unit, as well as three search-and-rescue dogs.
Rescuers are using special geophones to detect sounds in the rubble, while specialized cameras are also being used to locate people. From time to time, the removal of debris and all noise at the site are paused to facilitate the process of locating anyone who may be trapped.
Five people are still missing
According to the information available so far, authorities are still searching for five people who were reportedly residing in the building on Lysikratous Street.
They are:
– an elderly couple who lived on the second floor,
– three American tourists who had rented an apartment on the first floor.
The Fire Department is continuing its operation, while searches through the rubble are still underway to locate the remaining missing persons.
Two women were rescued from a neighboring building
It should be noted that, upon their arrival at the scene on Friday morning, firefighters had rescued two women from an adjacent building on Lysikratous Street.
The two women were picked up by EKAB ambulances and transported for medical care.
Earlier, during the investigation, a woman’s purse was found that is believed to belong to one of the female tourists who was staying on the first floor.
The explosion occurred shortly after 7:30 a.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026, causing extensive damage to adjacent buildings and parked vehicles. During the search and rescue operations, two women were rescued from a nearby building and transported by an EKAB ambulance to “Georgios Genimatas,” while one other person sustained minor injuries from flying debris.
A team from the Arson Crimes Investigation Division remains at the scene to investigate the causes of the incident.
The building on Lysikratous Street also had a ground floor, but the owner was not inside at the time. As the owner of the ground floor stated, he learned about the explosion and the building’s collapse from the news.
Additional Hellenic Police forces remain at the scene, along with two EKAB ambulances, while two more ambulances are on standby.
Specifically, according to information available so far, the residents of the first floor are reportedly four Americans—two couples aged 30–40—who had come to Greece on vacation. They had booked the apartment through a short-term rental platform under the name Ian, aged 37. An investigation at the scene uncovered a woman’s purse containing a rental agreement, presumed to belong to one of the female tourists, as well as the U.S. passports of Ian and Florida. A bag was also found containing the apartment’s lease agreement—a fact that strengthens the likelihood that the four people were inside the home at the time of the explosion.
The same sources report that the tourists had booked a Delta flight for today at 3:30 p.m. to return to the U.S., but they did not show up.
An elderly couple is reportedly living on the second floor. According to reports, they are a 78-year-old woman born in Athens and a 77-year-old British man.
Police officers called them on the phone but received no answer.
As for the cause of the explosion, the investigation is ongoing, with initial assessments pointing to a possible gas leak.
It should be noted that, upon arriving at the scene on Friday morning, rescued two women from an adjacent building on Lysikratous Street, who were then transported by EKAB ambulances.
Evangelos Tournas, Minister of Civil Protection and Climate Crisis, also arrived at the scene shortly before 8:00 p.m.
“There are people missing; it is a very complex situation, and the search is in full swing,” stated Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, who went to the scene. Specifically, when asked if there were people trapped, Mr. Doukas said: “There is great concern; there are senior officials from the Fire Department here who will answer your questions; there are people missing, and it’s a very complex situation—that’s why search dogs are currently on the scene and investigating.”
“These are critical moments; they require very good coordination. We are here and are assisting with all our might,” added Mr. Doukas, while describing a very difficult situation and emphasizing: “The explosion was extremely powerful; the destruction is extreme. We have been here from the very beginning with the Municipal Police, who have secured the area, using our own equipment to assist in the ongoing investigation inside the destroyed building.”
As he explained, they are using drones to get a better picture of the situation, and he noted that municipal services will remain on site to assess the damage sustained by the adjacent buildings. “Services related not only to Civil Protection but also to infrastructure will be here so that we can assess the load-bearing capacity of the adjacent buildings and determine whether they, too, and to continue assisting the Fire Department’s efforts.”
When asked about the cause of the explosion, the mayor of Athens stated that it was caused by gas: “I understand it was caused by gas, and the intensity of the explosion was terrifying; that means there was a major malfunction—something went completely wrong,” he said.
The noise was deafening
Greek Police (ELAS) officers and EKAV ambulances are also on the scene. Construction equipment provided by the City of Athens is clearing debris and materials from the site where the building collapsed.
According to residents’ accounts, the blast was deafening, causing damage to nearby buildings and parked vehicles. Authorities are investigating the cause of the explosion, examining whether it was caused by a natural gas leak. According to information available so far from the relevant authorities, natural gas facilities were located on the second floor of the building.
The building on Lysikratous Street also had a basement and a ground floor; however, the owner was not inside at the time. As the owner of the ground floor stated, he learned about the explosion and the building’s collapse from the news.
“I immediately called the lady next door to get some information. I saw in the photos that it was my building. I was worried about the couple who were friends of mine; I called them at 8 a.m., but they didn’t answer—the landline said there was a technical malfunction, and the cell phone was turned off,” said owner Matthaios Artavanis. “The situation is frustrating; I haven’t been able to reach the couple, and from the photos I’ve seen, not a single tile is left intact,” he noted, adding that the husband of the elderly couple had mobility issues.
Source: PROTO THEMA
