Four American tourists were among six people killed in a building explosion early Friday in Athens, authorities confirmed Saturday. The blast occurred at dawn in a residential building located in the Plaka district, a well-known area near the Acropolis popular with tourists.

Local officials said the explosion likely resulted from a gas leak. Haris Doukas, mayor of Athens, described the incident as an “incredible disaster.” The blast caused the three-story building to collapse and damaged neighboring properties and vehicles. Emergency crews continued clearing debris and inspecting adjacent structures, with concerns raised about their stability.

The victims included an elderly British man and his Greek wife residing on the second floor, as well as an American family of four renting an apartment on the first floor. The U.S. family was reportedly preparing to depart for the airport for their return to the United States when the explosion occurred. According to media reports, the American group consisted of a couple, their son, and his girlfriend, although Greek authorities had not released further personal details or their place of origin in the U.S.

The building’s ground-floor apartment owner, Mathaios Artavanis, was not home at the time of the blast. He said attempts to contact the British-Greek couple living upstairs were unsuccessful. Mechanical diggers and thermal-imaging equipment were at the scene on Saturday as officials evaluated the extent of structural damage.

Residents in Plaka had previously raised safety concerns. About a year ago, a letter from the neighborhood’s residents’ association warned municipal and utility authorities about potential risks related to gas leaks and electrical faults. The letter urged a fire drill to assess emergency response readiness. Additionally, a local citizens’ group stated on social media that a resident on the street where the explosion occurred had reported smelling gas shortly before the incident.

Plaka is among Athens’s most frequented tourist destinations, located close to the Acropolis landmark, which attracted approximately 4.6 million visitors last year. Authorities continue investigations into the cause of the explosion and the full scope of damages.