Investigation into the massive explosion in Plaka received new and much more disturbing details: Rescuers continue to search for six peoplethe tourist’s personal belongings were found under the rubble, and investigators are studying the gas supply of the destroyed house.
As previously reported “Athens News”on the morning of September 25, after a powerful explosion on Lysikratous Street in Plaka, an old house partially collapsed. The first reports spoke of several casualties and the evacuation of people from a nearby building. By evening, the picture of the incident had changed significantly.
What exploded in Plaka: the smell of gas, six missing people and a new discovery under the rubble pic.twitter.com/1TUfyhNen5
— Athens News (@russianathens) September 25, 2026
What exploded in Plaka: the smell of gas, six missing people and a new discovery under the rubble pic.twitter.com/ndUdZ8j40l
— Athens News (@russianathens) September 25, 2026
They are already looking for six people
According to the latest Greek media reports, they are wanted six people: an elderly couple who lived on the second floor, and four American tourists – two couples approximately 30-40 years old, who rented an apartment on the floor below.
What exploded in Plaka: the smell of gas, six missing people and a new discovery under the rubble pic.twitter.com/zEoDs83GOz
— Athens News (@russianathens) September 25, 2026
According to Ethnos, the apartment reservation was allegedly made by a 37-year-old man. All four were supposed to fly back to the USA, however They didn’t show up to board their flight.
This information in itself does not prove that the tourists were inside the house at the time of the explosion, but that is why the police and rescuers continue to search.
The discovery under the rubble caused particular concern: rescuers discovered women’s bag with personal itemsas well as travel documents related to the tourists who were in the apartment.
ΕΜΑΚ employees, specially trained dogs, thermal imagers, drones and heavy equipment are on site.
What does the investigation check?
What exploded in Plaka: the smell of gas, six missing people and a new discovery under the rubble pic.twitter.com/AZe0n6QC5s
— Athens News (@russianathens) September 25, 2026
— Athens News (@russianathens) September 25, 2026
Investigators ΔΑΕΕ – Office of Arson and Explosion Investigation of the Fire Service they are studying the gas supply, which, according to preliminary data, could be located in the apartment on the second floor.
It was there that an elderly couple lived, who have not yet been found.
However, the investigation is at a very early stage. For now There is no official conclusion about the cause of the explosion.
Version No. 1: natural gas leak
This is now the most actively discussed version.
Several eyewitnesses told reporters that shortly before the explosion they felt strong smell of gas. In addition, investigators are physically examining gas lines in the building.
If the gas did accumulate indoors, a simple ignition source—a switch, an electrical appliance, or a spark—might have been enough to cause an explosion.
But so far this is only a possible mechanism, and not an established cause.
Version No. 2: malfunction of the internal gas installation
Even if the examination confirms the presence of natural gas, this does not mean an accident in the city network.
The leak could have already happened inside the building itself: in a pipe, connection, boiler, gas appliance or other part of an indoor installation.
That is why experts will have to determine not only the presence of gas, but also the exact location of its release.
Version No. 3: problem in the external network
In the first hours after the incident, the possibility of damage to the gas distribution infrastructure was also discussed.
Company Enaon EDAwhich operates the natural gas network, has sent technical teams to the site and is conducting inspections.
However, the company is still did not confirm the failure in its network and officially states only that the investigation into the causes of the incident is ongoing.
Version No. 4: liquefied gas or cylinders
Some witnesses and the media in the first hours used the Greek word “υγραέριο”, which can mean liquefied gas – LPG.
If there were gas cylinders or separate equipment using a propane-butane mixture inside the building, this version should also be checked.
However, there is no confirmation yet that the destroyed house actually contained such equipment.
Version No. 5: explosive device
Due to the extreme force of the shock wave, some witnesses initially thought it was bomb explosion.
People in neighboring buildings spoke of broken windows, falling objects and a sound so powerful that this was the first reaction.
However at the moment there is no published investigative data confirming the deliberate detonation or use of explosives.
Therefore, this version now looks more like the initial impression of eyewitnesses than a working version of the investigation.
The car was thrown by the shock wave
The scale of the explosion is evidenced by the testimony of a driver who drove directly in front of the building.
According to him, the shock wave threw the car upafter which the car fell onto the road again.
The glass broke, the electric doors stopped opening, and the driver had to escape through the window. In the first seconds, he decided that his own car had exploded.
Cameras captured the moment of the explosion
One of the most important pieces of evidence is camera footage from inside a nearby hotel.
The video shows people in the room, followed by a powerful blow, after which they leave the room in panic.
Other footage shows the street immediately after the explosion: the roadway is covered in debris, car alarms are going off, and the air is filled with thick construction dust.
Drone footage shows the scale of the destruction from above: a significant part of the building was practically destroyed, and neighboring buildings were also damaged.
Why does the answer about the reason not appear immediately?
Experts will have to determine the exact epicenter of the explosion, check gas pipes and connections, possible devices and cylinders, electrical equipment and the nature of the destruction.
The task is complicated by the condition of the building itself: after the main explosion, additional local collapses occurred, and the removal of rubble must be carried out very carefully due to the possible presence of people under the structures.
Therefore, the investigation actually has to answer two different questions: what exactly exploded and why the conditions for the explosion arose.
Editorial comment.
The most substantive version at the moment is related to gas: this is evidenced by eyewitness accounts and the very fact of checking the gas supply on the second floor.
But there is a fundamental difference between the formulations “a gas explosion occurred” and “the cause of the explosion has been established.”
Even if the examination confirms the presence of gas, it is still necessary to establish its source: city network, internal installation, equipment or cylinder. Until this is done, final conclusions would be premature.
The most disturbing part of this story by evening remains the search for six people. Four American tourists did not show up for the return flight, and the elderly couple on the second floor also did not contact them. The rescue operation continues.
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