An explosion in Athens at the foot of the Acropolis monument left three people injured and several buildings damaged.
The blast in the two-storey building in Plaka near some of the Greek capital’s most popular sites sent rocks and broken glass flying as far as three streets away.
Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou told Greek media the fire brigade had not yet concluded its site inspection.
Fire crews and ambulances rushed to the scene as smoke billowed above the ancient monuments.
The building where the blast took place was reduced to a mess of twisted metal, broken balconies and hanging concrete slabs.
Local resident Andreas Martzaklis said: “It was like the whole building, the whole block blew off. That’s how strong it was.”
Authorities said a passer-by was injured in the incident, as detectives continue to investigate the cause of the blast.
Two women who had been trapped in an adjacent building were rescued and are currently being treated in hospital.
Drone footage showed the extent of the blast
|
REUTERS
Emergency personnel worked at the site where an old building partially collapsed following an explosion
|
REUTERS
The blast happened in the touristy Plaka area
|
REUTERS
The area is home to many hotels and short-term rentals and crowds of tourists stroll its narrow streets lined with cafes and souvenir shops.
A police source said at least five people lodged at the building, part of which was rented out to tourists.
It was not immediately clear if others were trapped.
Local media reports suggested a gas leak is currently suspected as the cause of the blast, however this has not been confirmed.
Smoke was seen rising from the scene
|
REUTERS
The owner of the ground-floor flat, Matthaios Artavanis, told local media that he didn’t live there, instead using it to store thousands of books.
However, he said had not managed to contact the elderly couple from the second floor.
Mr Artavanis said: “They’re about 70…I’m worried and have no information whether they’re ok.”
He went on to say his books had probably not survived the blast.
An old building partially collapsed following the explosion
|
REUTERS
Mr Artavanis said: “This was my kingdom … I come here every day to study my books.
“I still haven’t been allowed near to see the damage, but I’m afraid it will be enormous.”
One eyewitness, Abda Rahman Abdullah, said he managed to drive on a few meters and when he stopped he saw the car’s roof had been destroyed.
He added: “Apart from the stones, books and papers were raining down.”
Leave a Reply