The relatives of the victims who lost their lives in the collapse of a building in Athens’ Plaka following a powerful explosion on Friday, were expected at the Athens Forensic Service after arriving in Greece on Sunday for the purpose of victim identification.
One brother and his sister were among the four American tourists who died in the short-let flat of the first floor. They were visiting Athens with their spouses; one of the couples were newly married, and the second couple were expecting a child.
The other two victims were a Greek woman and her British spouse, 77 and 78 years old, permanent residents of the top floor flat.
Families have been asked to provide DNA samples for official identification, AMNA reports.
At the same time, a preliminary investigation has been launched under the instructions of the competent Athens Prosecutor’s Office and in cooperation with the other competent services of the Hellenic Police.
Fatal explosion likely took place on second floor of Plaka building
The Directorate for Arson Crimes Investigation (DAEE) is investigating the causes of the tragedy. For a third day, a team of ten specialised personnel, is carrying out on-site inspections and thorough checks, collecting and assessing every piece of evidence that may contribute to establishing the circumstances that led to the fatal explosion.
Municipality of Athens machinery workers have removed almost all the structural materials from the building’s debris, a process which was expected to be completed on Sunday, according to AMNA. The materials are subsequently being transported to a specially designated area so that DAEE specialised personnel and other appointed experts can further examine them.
The investigation into the causes of the explosion is reportedly focusing on the second-floor flat where an elderly couple lived, as there are indications that this was where the explosion occurred that triggered the building’s total collapse.
This flat was the only one in the building that used gas power for the kitchen, the fireplace and a burner. Nonetheless, the investigation is still to establish whether the explosion was caused by a gas leak.
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