Six killed as Athens apartment block collapses following explosion in historic Plaka district

Greek authorities are seeking answers after an explosion caused a two-storey apartment block in the historic Plaka district of Athens to collapse, killing six people.

Emergency teams discovered the victims, including four American tourists, on Saturday, more than 24 hours after the explosion prompted the early morning tragedy.

Investigation into the cause

Authorities say the building collapsed in a matter of seconds, and they are now working to determine what caused the explosion in the ancient district at the heart of the Greek capital.

The presence of four American tourists among the six victims has drawn particular attention to the incident, given Plaka's status as one of the most visited historic areas of Athens.

Emergency crews spent more than 24 hours searching the site before all of the victims were found, reflecting the scale of the search and rescue operation launched in the aftermath of the collapse.

Greek authorities have not yet announced the specific cause of the explosion, and the investigation into what led to the sudden collapse of the building remains ongoing.