A man has been found dead in the rubble of the building that collapsed following an explosion on Lysikratous Street in Plaka yesterday.
Rescue operations are continuing at full intensity, as several people who are believed to have been inside the building at the time of the explosion remain missing.
Earlier on Saturday morning, rescuers had also recovered the body of a woman.
Demoglidou: Firefighters working under extremely difficult conditions
Greek Police spokesperson Konstantia Dimoglidou told ERTnews that large Fire Service teams have been operating at the scene since the first moments of the incident, while police have cordoned off the area and are assisting with the operation.
“It is not an easy process, as most of the building has essentially collapsed and there is also a risk to the surrounding buildings, which have been evacuated for safety reasons,” she said.
Firefighters are working under extremely difficult conditions due to the extent of the collapse.
“At the same time, debris is being removed and firefighters then proceed with the search,” she said, stressing that the operation is both time-consuming and dangerous.
Regarding early indications about what may have caused the explosion, Dimoglidou confirmed that authorities had received reports from members of the public.
“The first reports received by police officers indicated that there was some kind of gas smell, although of course it has not yet been identified,” she said.
The Fire Service is conducting the preliminary investigation, with locating the missing people remaining the immediate priority.
“The priority is to find people, and afterwards the circumstances in which the explosion occurred will be investigated.”
Source: iefimerida.gr – Woman Confirmed Dead, Five Still Missing After Athens Building Blast – iefimerida.gr
“Critical hours as we have reached the bedrooms”
Paris Charlavtis, Athens Deputy Mayor responsible for Technical Services, Municipal Property and Digital Governance, said the operation had reached a particularly critical stage.
“At the moment, the Fire Service is operating alongside construction machinery hired by the Municipality of Athens. Half of the apartment building has been dismantled and we have filled part of the basement so that the machinery can operate deeper into the property,” he said.
“These are critical hours because we have reached the process of dismantling the bedroom areas, so we are waiting. We hope that the only victim is the one who has been found.”
Asked whether rainfall was creating difficulties and delaying the search, Charlavtis said rescuers had not stopped their efforts despite the challenging conditions.
“It certainly makes things harder for rescue crews because it creates mud, but I think it is also better because it keeps the dust down. The searches are moving slowly anyway because we have to determine whether there is even the slightest possibility that someone may still be alive.”
Search for missing residents and tourists continues
According to information available so far, authorities are searching for people reported to have been staying in the building on Lysikratous Street.
They include an elderly couple who lived on the second floor and three American tourists who had rented an apartment on the first floor.
The Fire Service continues its operation, with searches through the rubble ongoing in an effort to locate those still missing.
The building also had a ground-floor property, although its owner was not inside at the time. The owner said he learned about the explosion and the building’s collapse through the news.
Additional police forces remain at the scene, along with two EKAB ambulances, while another two ambulances are on standby.
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