Police Arrest Three Suspects in Fatal Athens Explosion

Three men have been arrested in connection with a deadly explosion in Athens' historic Plaka district after investigators linked them to an alleged copper theft attempt that may have damaged a natural gas pipe. The September 25 blast killed six people and destroyed a two-story building near the Acropolis.

Greek authorities suspect the men broke into the property on Lysikratous Street to remove copper components, accidentally damaging an internal gas pipe in the process. According to information reported by To Vima on Thursday, all three suspects were subsequently identified and arrested.

Investigators are examining the precise roles of each suspect and the circumstances surrounding the alleged damage. The men reportedly have previous records involving vandalism and copper or metal theft, while prosecutors are considering potential homicide charges.

Surveillance footage reportedly shows the three men outside the building several hours before the explosion. Two allegedly entered the property while the third remained outside.

Video footage obtained by Ta Nea captured the moment the explosion ripped through the building, leaving much of the structure in ruins. The blast also narrowly missed a school van transporting 12 children along Lysikratous Street.

The children, who attended a private school, escaped without injuries despite passing close to the building when the explosion occurred.

The explosion happened shortly before 8 a.m. on September 25, destroying the building at the southeastern foot of the Acropolis. The six victims included four American tourists staying in a short-term rental apartment on the first floor and an elderly couple living on the second floor.

The couple consisted of a 78-year-old British man and his 77-year-old Greek wife. The explosion also damaged neighboring buildings and a nearby medieval church, prompting structural inspections across the area.

Initial investigative findings directed attention toward the second-floor apartment, which was reportedly the building's only unit with an active independent natural gas supply. Investigators are examining whether damage to the internal gas infrastructure caused the leak that preceded the explosion.

The case has also renewed scrutiny of Greece's criminal justice system, particularly the monitoring of repeat offenders and the effectiveness of conditional release arrangements.

In January, To Vima reported on a separate case involving a man accused of killing his father in Glyfada after previously being convicted of murdering his mother in 2014. He served approximately four years of a 16-year sentence before receiving conditional release in 2018.

A separate To Vima investigation published in November 2023 highlighted difficulties in monitoring thousands of people released from detention under conditional arrangements. It cited estimates that 20% to 30% of approximately 45,000 individuals released on parole or while awaiting trial failed to comply with their release conditions.

Those figures measure violations of release conditions rather than the proportion of released offenders who commit new crimes. In the Plaka investigation, the three suspects' reported criminal histories have become another element under examination by authorities.