Four American tourists died on Friday after a building collapsed due to a gas explosion in Athens, Greece, in a neighborhood near the Acropolis.
“I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of four American citizens in yesterday’s explosion in central Athens,” U.S. Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic Kimberly Guilfoyle said in a statement Saturday morning. “My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those killed and injured in this horrific incident. Our hearts are with them during this difficult time.” A gas leak was initially suspected of causing the explosion, a claim a U.S. State Department official later confirmed to CBS News.
A couple, their son, and his girlfriend had been renting an apartment on the first floor of a residential building in the tourist district of Plaka when the explosion occured. The family was reportedly scheduled to go to the airport that afternoon to fly back to the United States. A Greek woman and her elderly British husband also died in the blast, and two other women, both also tourists, were injured in an adjacent building. A local investigation into the explosion is underway.
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“We are talking about an incredible disaster,” Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said, adding that two nearby buildings may have to be demolished if inspectors deem they are likely to crumble. Debris was strewn across the street outside the building and nearby cars’ windows were smashed, according to videos on social media.
“I extend my deepest appreciation to the Greek first responders who worked tirelessly at the scene,” Guilfoyle also said in her statement. The U.S. Embassy is providing consular assistance and support to the victims’ families.” The Palaka neighborhood sits at the base of the Acropolis Hill and is about a ten-minute drive from the ancient attraction.