Two days after the explosion at the Lysikratous building in Plaka that left six people dead, the authorities’ investigation is in full swing to determine the causes of this unimaginable tragedy.
The identification of the four Americans, as well as the elderly couple who were inside the building on Friday morning (September 25) when it was destroyed by the powerful explosion, will be carried out by the victims’ families.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Identification will be carried out using DNA samples from their families, who have been asked to provide genetic material for comparison.
This process is being carried out in collaboration with the Hellenic Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate.
According to information available so far, the four tourists who were staying in a short-term rental apartment on the first floor of the building were U.S. citizens. Two of them were siblings of Albanian descent who were traveling with their partners.
As for the elderly couple living on the second floor, they were a Greek woman and a British man.
Investigations into the cause are ongoing
Meanwhile, investigations into the causes are continuing, with a team from the Arson Crimes Division consisting of 10 specialized officers documenting the scene, collecting and evaluating any evidence that may help determine the circumstances of the incident.
As for the cause of the explosion, according to the investigation’s findings so far, there are indications that it occurred on the second floor.
The relevant officials from the Fire Department are examining all possible scenarios; however, the evidence so far suggests that the explosion occurred in the apartment where the elderly couple lived.
According to information from relevant sources, that particular apartment was the only one with a natural gas line, which was used for the stove, the fireplace, and a burner.
It should be noted that the first floor also had a natural gas supply until 2021; however, at the owner’s request, it was removed. In addition, the relevant authorities are considering the extensive damage caused by the shock wave at the level of the second floor as a factor.
Natural gas accumulates at higher elevations, unlike propane, which accumulates at lower levels. According to relevant sources, the damage caused by the blast wave from the explosion is at the second-floor level. However, as they point out, all of this must be documented in order to determine whether the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak.
As part of the investigation into the causes, expert investigators will be appointed to conduct an on-site inspection and submit the findings of their investigation, a fact also mentioned in related statements by the mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas.
DAEE officials aim to complete the collection of all materials—such as pipes, meters, etc.—to be examined by Monday.
It should be noted that the preliminary investigation is being conducted under the direction of the competent Athens First Instance Prosecutor’s Office and in cooperation with the other relevant units of the Hellenic Police.
Lekkas: The rescue operation was exemplary
The president of the Athens Metropolitan Police Authority (OASP) and professor of management spoke of an “exemplary operation” to rescue the people trapped inside the building that collapsed in Plaka, following an explosion that occurred yesterday morning, said Efthymis Lekkas, president of the OASP and professor of Natural Disaster Management at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
“This demonstrates the professionalism of EMAK and firefighters in general, under extremely adverse conditions. There were two buildings on either side that were on the verge of collapse, and EMAK was forced to operate in a very hostile environment,” Mr. Lekkas noted. Regarding the building, Mr. Lekkas said it was an old structure that was highly vulnerable.
“It was a historic building, not a modern one. It had no load-bearing structure; throughout its entire structure, it was made of masonry and bricks, which are particularly vulnerable in this entire process since they lack any cohesion among themselves,” he emphasized, adding that “the case of Beirut comes to mind.”
“We’ve seen collapses like this many times, but what comes to mind most is the case of Beirut, with the massive explosion in the city center, where we saw similar processes regarding the building’s collapse,” he noted, adding that the two buildings on either side will be examined by engineers.
“They’re in a precarious balance—at least that’s how they appear—because parts of the buildings are such that, essentially, the right-hand building, the one on the right—one corner is essentially supported by a wooden window, and the other building has sustained damage. This is a very preliminary assessment. “An inspection by engineers is absolutely necessary so that we can assess the structural integrity of the buildings,” he emphasized.
As he said, these are buildings that require some improvement. “These are buildings that have an acceptable level of structural integrity, but no one knows to what extent they would withstand a major earthquake or a large explosion.
I believe it was a building that was quite vulnerable. Based on what I’ve seen from Beirut after the massive explosion, the modern building would have remained standing, but the weak points would have been the masonry and the curtain walls,” he said.
Source: cnn.gr
