An explosion destroyed a building in the Plaka tourist district near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, according to multiple outlets. Local media cited by the Associated Press suggested a gas leak may have caused the blast.
Reports vary on casualties: NBC News said at least three people were injured, while Euronews and AP reported two injuries. Reuters reported one person dead, and Sky News described the explosion as destroying the building without specifying a death toll.
The number of people reported missing also differs across outlets. The New York Times reported six people missing, while The Independent and Reuters both reported five missing. Deutsche Welle said several foreign tourists remained missing.
According to Deutsche Welle, the mayor of Athens called the incident an 'incredible disaster.' This claim was not reported elsewhere in the supplied material.
How each side covered it
Left
- Coverage reported varying casualty tolls, including CBS News' report of two American tourists dead and NBC's report of at least three injured
- The New York Times and The Independent reported six and five people missing, respectively, after the blast
- Associated Press and CBS News cited the Athens mayor and local media suggesting a gas leak as the likely cause
- Outlets emphasized the explosion's location near the Acropolis in a popular tourist district
“6 People Are Missing After Explosion in Athens Tourist District” — The New York Times
Center
- Outlets reported differing death tolls, with SCMP citing two dead and four missing, while BBC and Reuters cited one dead and five missing
- Deutsche Welle quoted Athens' mayor describing the collapse as an 'incredible disaster' affecting foreign tourists in the Plaka district
- Sky News and Euronews focused on the destructive force of the explosion, noting it destroyed a building and injured two people
- Coverage centered on the Plaka tourist area near the Acropolis as the site of the collapse
“Several foreign tourists remain missing after an explosion brought down a building in Athens' tourist area of Plaka, with the city's mayor calling it an "incredible disaster."” — Deutsche Welle
Right
- Independent Journal Review reported the explosion hit an old two-story building on Lysikratous Street in Plaka, near the Acropolis
- The outlet noted that reports on the extent of the collapse and injury counts differed across sources
Questions readers ask
What happened near the Acropolis in Athens?
An explosion destroyed a building in the Plaka tourist district near the Acropolis in Athens, Greece, injuring people and leaving several others reported missing, according to multiple outlets.
How many people were injured or missing?
Reports vary: NBC News reported at least three injuries while Euronews and the Associated Press reported two; missing-person counts ranged from five, reported by The Independent and Reuters, to six, reported by The New York Times.
Was anyone confirmed dead?
Reuters reported one death following the explosion; this was not confirmed by other outlets in the supplied material.
What caused the explosion?
According to the Associated Press, citing local media, a gas leak is suspected as the cause, though this has not been confirmed by other outlets.
Is this story still developing?
Yes, casualty figures and the number of missing people differ across outlets, indicating the situation was still unfolding at the time of reporting.
Sources · 19 outlet reports
- Associated PressLeft-leaningBlast near Acropolis in Greece injures 2, collapses a building. Local media say gas leak suspected
- CBS NewsLeft-leaning2 American tourists dead after building explosion in Greece
- NBC NewsLeft-leaningAn explosion near the Acropolis in Greece injures at least three people
- The IndependentLeft-leaningFive missing in Athens after explosion rocks tourist hotspot
- The MirrorLeft-leaningAthens explosion leaves five missing including tourists as building collapses
- The New York TimesLeft-leaning6 People Are Missing After Explosion in Athens Tourist District
- Arab NewsCenterRescuers pull 2 unconscious from collapsed building near the Acropolis in Greece
- BBC NewsCenterAthens explosion: One dead and five missing in blast near Acropolis in Plaka district
- BBC SportCenterAthens explosion: At least two dead in blast near Acropolis in Plaka district
- Deutsche WelleCenterDeadly blast rips through Athens building, near Acropolis
- EuronewsCenterVideo. Explosion near Acropolis collapses building in Athens’ Plaka, injuring two
- Global NewsCenterAt least 2 injured, 5 missing after explosion in Greece collapses building - National
- ReutersCenterFive missing after explosion fells building in heart of touristic Athens
- Sky NewsCenterPowerful explosion in Athens destroys building near Acropolis
- South China Morning PostCenter2 dead, 4 missing after explosion destroys building in Athens
- The Straits TimesCenterOne dead, 5 missing after explosion destroys building in Athens
- GB NewsRight-leaningElderly Briton and his wife feared dead after explosion in Athens' tourist district
- Independent Journal ReviewRight-leaningExplosion Collapses Athens Building, Injures People
- The TimesRight-leaningBriton among four missing after house explosion in Athens