Athens rocked by huge blast as fire starts and building collapses into street

Athens rocked by huge blast as fire starts and building collapses into street A two-storey building has collapsed near the Acropolis in Athens following an explosion, with one person injured and the scene cordoned off A huge explosion has rocked central Athens this morning, causing a two-storey building to collapse near the Acropolis. At least one person has been injured in the blast, which happened following a suspected gas leak. Police, paramedics and firefighters raced to Lysicratous Street near the Acropolis at around 7:30am local time (5:30am BST) before the area was cordoned off. The explosion is said to have sparked a fire, reports eKathimerini. Horrified onlookers watched as the narrow street beside the ancient landmark was strewn with debris while firefighters worked behind a cordon. Smoke was seen rising above the scene, with windows shattered and cars damaged near the collapsed building. One person was rescued from the ruins of a building, while a passer-by suffered non life-threatening injuries, state TV ERT reported. The fire service said 24 firefighters were deployed to the scene, but did not comment on the cause of the explosion. This is a Breaking News story. You’ll be more likely to see our stories when any big news breaks in future by simply by clicking this link. You can also join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Apple News, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads - or visit The Mirror homepage.