A gas explosion near the Acropolis in Athens caused a building to collapse in the city’s Plaka district, killing six people, including four Americans. The area is one of the Greek capital’s best-known tourist neighborhoods, drawing visitors near major historic sites.
The U.S. State Department and local reports said the incident happened Friday. The U.S. Embassy in Greece confirmed the deaths of four U.S. citizens, and U.S. Ambassador Kimberly Guilfoyle expressed condolences and thanked Greek authorities for their rescue efforts.
The four Americans were identified as a family: a married couple, their son and the son’s girlfriend. They had been staying in a first-floor apartment in a three-story residential building rented short-term and were said to be leaving for the airport just hours later.
The other two victims were residents of the building, according to the article. Greek authorities continued rescue and recovery work at the scene.
