Fatal explosion in Athens: investigation focuses on gas leak from elderly couple’s apartment

A possible natural gas leak from an apartment is being considered the main line of investigation into the explosion at a building in Athens’ Plaka district, which claimed the lives of six people. The victims included Florida Hoxha, her husband Ian Alexander Kirkpatrick, Eris Çani and Florin Hoxha.

Specialists from the Directorate for the Prevention of Arson Crimes initially examined the central natural gas network. However, the inspections and tests carried out did not reveal any leak in the system.

Inspections of the pavement and the main line showed that the public infrastructure had no problems. For this reason, the authorities have focused their attention on the building’s internal installations.

Suspicion has centered particularly on the apartment on the second floor of the building on Lysikratous Street, where an elderly couple lived. According to the information gathered so far, it was the only residence in the building connected to the natural gas network.

Three gas-powered appliances were found in the apartment: a stove, a fireplace and a water heater. Experts have not yet determined whether any of them caused the leak, and they are continuing their work to clarify how the explosion occurred.

The force of the explosion was so great that it caused the building to collapse. The blast wave also damaged nearby properties, businesses and vehicles.

Florida Hoxha and Ian Alexander Kirkpatrick were in Greece on their honeymoon when they lost their lives. Eris Çani and Florin Hoxha, who were expecting to become parents, were also among the victims.

The other two people who lost their lives were residents of the building where the explosion occurred.

On September 27, the victims’ family members traveled to Greece at the request of the authorities. They are expected to provide genetic material for DNA comparison, with the aim of completing the identification of the bodies.

The investigation is continuing to determine the exact source of the gas and reconstruct, step by step, the circumstances that led to this tragedy.