A powerful explosion occurred Friday morning, September 25, 2026, in the Plaka district of Athens, causing a building to collapse and damaging several nearby structures. The blast took place near the Acropolis and resulted in at least two injuries. Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the incident, though local media reported that a gas leak is suspected.
The explosion originated in an old two-story building in the historic district at the foot of the Acropolis hill. The force of the blast caused the structure to collapse and sent debris across the street, damaging parked vehicles and neighboring property. A nearby church, the First Greek Evangelical Church, reported that every window in its building was broken, leading the pastor to schedule Sunday services outdoors.
Emergency responders rescued two women from an adjacent building; police stated both were transported to a hospital. Local media and a resident reported that a passerby also sustained minor injuries. While the total number of people in the building at the time remains unconfirmed, resident Andreas Martzaklis noted that an elderly couple lived on the second floor and one apartment served as a short-term rental.
Firefighters and rescue crews deployed sniffer dogs to search the rubble for any individuals who might remain trapped. As of several hours after the explosion, the fire department confirmed that search and rescue operations were still ongoing. Police cordoned off the area to allow crews to move through the debris while investigators began assessing the damage.
The explosion affected residents and visitors in Plaka, a tourist destination in Greece. Rescuers searched for an elderly couple and up to three tourists who media reports said may have been staying in the short-term rental. The damage includes the collapse of a two-story building and window damage to the First Greek Evangelical Church.
The area around the Acropolis remains cordoned off by police, and the local evangelical congregation will hold services outdoors this Sunday. Search and rescue operations are continuing, and no specific timeline has been reported for when the cordoned streets will reopen.