Briton and wife killed in Athens building collapse – reports

A British man and his Greek wife are believed to be among those killed in a building collapse near the Acropolis in Athens, according to local reports.

Emergency crews recovered six bodies following an explosion in the Plaka tourist district on Friday morning, Greek broadcaster ERT said.

The Briton and his partner were reportedly both in their 70s and living on the second floor of the building overlooking the Hadrian’s Gate monument.

Four Americans who had been staying in a short-term rental on the first floor were also killed, local news outlets reported.

The two men and two women were identified as US citizens through personal documents and belongings, they said.

Images show responders working around the building that had been reduced to rubble which was strewn across the street, with parked cars smashed by falling debris.

Firefighters work at the scene on the street leading to Hadrian’s Gate in central Athens (Petros Giannakouris/AP)

AP

The blast is believed to have been caused by a massive gas leak, Athens mayor Haris Doukas said on Friday night.

There were no reports of a gas smell prior to the explosion, according to the Hellenic Fire Service’s spokesman, Yiannis Vathrakoyannis.

He told a press conference on Saturday that six people were pulled unconscious from the debris and two women were rescued from an adjacent building.

Search dogs, sound detection equipment, cameras and heavy machinery have been deployed to the scene, as well as 30 firefighters and three search and rescue teams.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We are aware of a suspected explosion in Athens and are in touch with the local authorities.

“We stand ready to offer assistance to British nationals abroad 24/7.”