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Explosion near Greece's Acropolis injures at least 2 people, collapses 1 building

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Summary

An explosion in Athens’ Plaka district near the Acropolis collapsed an old two-story building on Friday morning and injured at least two people. Firefighters rescued two women from an adjacent building, while local media said a passerby was also slightly hurt. Police cordoned off the area and rescue crews checked for anyone else trapped. The cause was not immediately clear, though a gas leak was suspected.

Key Facts

  • The blast hit an old two-story building in Plaka, the historic district at the foot of the Acropolis hill.
  • The collapsed building also damaged neighboring buildings, and rubble and smashed cars were seen in video from the scene.
  • Police said the two women rescued from an adjacent building were being transported to a hospital.
  • Local media said a gas leak was suspected as the possible cause of the explosion.
By AP
  • Published Sep 25, 2026 4:35 pm KST
  • Updated Sep 25, 2026 5:28 pm KST
Emergency personnel work at the site where an old building partially collapsed following an explosion in central Athens' Plaka area, Sept. 25. REUTERS-Yonhap

Emergency personnel work at the site where an old building partially collapsed following an explosion in central Athens' Plaka area, Sept. 25. REUTERS-Yonhap

ATHENS, Greece — A powerful blast shook the Greek capital’s tourist district of Plaka, near the ancient Acropolis, on Friday morning, causing a building to collapse and injuring at least two people who had to be rescued from an adjacent building, authorities said.

The fire department said the explosion occurred in an old two-story building in the Plaka district, the historic part of Athens that lies at the foot of the Acropolis hill, Greece’s most visited ancient monument. The building collapsed, while neighboring buildings were also damaged.

Firefighters rescued two women from an adjacent building, with police saying both were being transported to a hospital. Local media said a passerby was also slightly injured by the blast.

Police cordoned off the area, while the fire department said rescue crews were checking whether any more people might be trapped.

Video footage from the scene showed rubble strewn across the street, with parked cars smashed by falling debris.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, but local media said a gas leak was suspected.

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