Four American citizens were among the six people killed in the September 25 explosion that destroyed a residential building in Athens’ historic Plaka district. A 34-day investigation has now led to the arrest of three men suspected of trying to steal copper piping from the building’s natural gas installation.
he blast also came dangerously close to a school run. A black minibus carrying 12 children reportedly passed along Lysikratous Street just seconds before the explosion. Debris flew onto the road and struck the vehicle, but none of the children suffered physical injuries.
Three suspects arrested after a 34-day investigation
The Hellenic Fire Service’s Arson Crimes Investigation Directorate led the inquiry under the supervision of prosecutors. On October 29, authorities announced that arrest warrants had been issued for two Greek nationals and one Albanian national, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).
Investigators suspect the three men approached the building to remove copper piping from its natural gas installation. Their actions allegedly damaged a pipe and caused a gas leak that later triggered the explosion. The investigation involved the reconstruction of the scene, the analysis of video and other audiovisual material, the examination of communications data obtained through court-authorized procedures, and the assessment of physical evidence recovered from the site.
The authorities also drew on expert examinations, including work by electrical engineers, a chemist and specialists at the National Technical University of Athens’ laboratory for metallurgy and materials. The findings helped investigators establish the suspected sequence of events and connect the pipe damage with the fatal blast.
How the attempted copper theft may have caused the explosion
According to Proto Thema, citing sources familiar with the investigation, the three men allegedly arrived at the building during the early hours of September 25. Two reportedly entered the ground-floor area, where the gas meter and piping were located, while the third allegedly remained outside.
Investigators believe the men tried to cut and remove part of a copper pipe. The attempt allegedly damaged the installation and allowed natural gas to escape inside the building. The men are reported to have left the scene with a piece of pipe.
The investigation’s reconstruction suggests that gas spread through an enclosed stairwell and accumulated on the upper floor, where an elderly couple lived. Several hours later, shortly before 8 a.m., the explosion occurred. One reported explanation is that a spark from an electrical switch may have ignited the accumulated gas.
A fragment of the damaged pipe was reportedly examined by specialists at the National Technical University of Athens. The examination indicated that the break was consistent with mechanical force or pulling, rather than damage caused by the explosion itself.
Six people died as the building collapsed
The explosion struck a two-story house on Lysikratous Street shortly before 8 a.m. on September 25. The building collapsed, and rescue crews searched the rubble for more than 24 hours. The Fire Service later confirmed that six people had been recovered without signs of life.
The victims included four American citizens, a British citizen and a Greek citizen, according to reports on the identification of those killed. The four Americans were staying in the building as visitors, while the other two victims were an elderly couple who lived on the upper floor.
The blast also damaged neighboring properties and vehicles. Firefighters rescued two women from an adjacent building, and emergency crews used search-and-rescue dogs, cameras and specialized equipment during the operation.
A school minibus passed seconds before the blast
One of the most alarming details to emerge from footage of the incident concerns a black minibus transporting 12 young students to school in Psychiko. The vehicle reportedly passed the building at around 7:30 a.m., just seconds before the explosion.
Video obtained and broadcast by Greece’s public broadcaster ERT News showed debris shooting into the street, with some fragments hitting the minibus. According to ERT, none of the children was physically injured, although the incident left them frightened and shaken.
The vehicle’s passage underscores how narrowly the explosion missed causing further casualties among people passing through the busy historic neighborhood that morning.
The investigation continues through the judicial process
The investigation relied on footage from security cameras and other evidence to reconstruct the suspects’ movements and their alleged actions inside and around the building. Authorities also examined the damaged pipe and other material evidence to test the theory that an attempt to steal copper caused the gas leak.
The three men were arrested following the issuance of the warrants and were expected to appear before the competent judicial authority on Friday, October 30. The findings mark a significant development in the investigation into the Plaka explosion, which killed six people and endangered others nearby, including 12 children travelling to school.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
