ATHENS: Six people were killed after a two-storey residential building collapsed following an explosion in central Athens, Greece’s fire brigade said on Saturday.

US officials said four American citizens were among those killed in the blast, which occurred in the tourist district of Plaka, near some of the Greek capital’s most visited landmarks, including the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus.

Fire brigade spokesman Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said emergency crews wearing heavy protective gear and accompanied by rescue dogs used cameras and sensors to search through the rubble.

Rescuers were looking for an elderly couple who lived in one of the apartments and four tourists staying in another when they recovered the bodies of six people.

The fire brigade’s crime investigation unit also joined the operation to determine the cause of the explosion. Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis said the blast was likely linked to gas infrastructure, while authorities were investigating reports of a gas smell in the area.

The four tourists, identified as two American couples, had been expected to board a flight from Athens airport at 3pm on Friday but failed to arrive, according to a police source.

US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle expressed grief over the deaths of the four American citizens.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the death of four American citizens in yesterday’s explosion in central Athens,” she said in a post on X.

The powerful blast destroyed the building and damaged nearby houses, shops and vehicles. Rubble and shattered glass were scattered as far as three blocks from the site.

The building was reduced to twisted metal, broken tiles and concrete, with household belongings and clothing scattered among the debris.

Ambulances remained at the scene on Saturday to transport the recovered bodies to hospital for identification as authorities continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the explosion.