Greek Ministry: 4 US nationals among 6 killed in Athens blast

Four American citizens, alongside one British national and one Greek citizen, have been identified as the victims of a fatal building collapse in Athens. The Greek Foreign Ministry announced these identities on Sunday, confirming the death toll from the incident that struck the historic Plaka district.

The tragedy unfolded after an explosion caused a structure to crumble near major landmarks, including the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. Emergency crews initially reported six individuals missing following the blast. Subsequent recovery operations located the bodies of all six victims within the debris.

Rescue efforts and initial reports

Fire service personnel successfully extracted two women from a neighboring building during the immediate aftermath. A man injured by shrapnel from the explosion was also rescued and transported to a hospital for treatment. Search teams utilized dogs to navigate the rubble while investigating the structural failure.

Authorities indicated that the collapse may have resulted from a gas leak within the older building. While local officials stated earlier that the precise cause remained under investigation, the Hellenic Fire Department confirmed the recovery of the six bodies on Saturday. Identities were not released immediately at that time.

Diplomatic response and timeline

In a statement posted to the social media platform X, the Greek Foreign Ministry expressed condolences to the families and relatives of those who lost their lives. The announcement clarifies the nationality breakdown of the deceased: four Americans, one Briton, and one Greek.

Initial alerts highlighted that a family of four was among those feared missing after the massive explosion shook the historic neighborhood. Officials later verified the fatalities, marking the end of the search for the six individuals trapped in the wreckage.